TIPS FOR COLLECTING SIGNATURES (CONT.)
Tip #6. Some people just don't like to sign things, no matter what. Here are some things to point out that might convince them to sign anyway. 1. Their signature will be just a wiggly line; nobody will be able to use it to get their phone number or email address for any purpose, so they will be fairly anonymous. 2. If they want to be even more anonymous they can use a signature that is not recognizable as their name or their usual signature. The important thing is simply that their signature is specific and unique, and it therefore shows the world that a unique person agreed with "This I Believe."
Tips for Ringing the Bells of Revolution in Your Part of the Country
Tip #7. Some projects we have found useful are described here; you may want to do similar things. Please let us know what your ideas are. No matter what part of the United States you live in, feel free to ask PDRBoston for help in your efforts to Ring the Bells of Revolution, and please let us know if you have ideas how we can make our web site more useful to you.
Tip #8. Read Swarmwise: the Tactical Manual to Changing the World, a book by Rick Falkvinge. Even though one cannot tell from reading this book whether or not the author would sign "This I Believe," the book nonetheless has some great, practical advice about building a movement (he calls it a "swarm") to change the world for the better. Not everything in this book is applicable to us, but a lot is, from tips on how to distribute leaflets and write a press release to how to recruit new members and inspire people to work together successfully for a shared vision. The book needs to be read critically, however. For example, he recommends having only a single large organization for the sake of administrative efficiency, thereby freeing more people from administrative tasks. We choose instead to rely on voluntary federation of independent organizations across the nation; this reflects how we want society to be. It is how egalitarians can cooperate most democratically. The Web Forum we set up is designed to facilitate this.
Tip #9. If you want to form your own organization to Ring the Bells of Revolution, we will be happy to help you by sharing whatever knowledge and experience we gained from setting up People for Democratic Revolution -- Boston.