Political Organizing 101
Madison Convention Focuses on Strengthening WI Democracy
By Deborah Ziff
Wisconsin State Journal (8/24/11)
There may be no other convention where you can learn about the history of civil disobedience, go to a class called Organizing 101, and discuss how to make a general strike succeed. The first ever Democracy Convention will be held in Madison Wednesday through Sunday.
"It's the first national gathering in my lifetime that has focused on the underlying question of who rules," said Ben Manski, former co-chair of the Green Party of the U.S. and an event organizer. "[It] is not just interested in criticizing the lack of democracy in the United States but is devoted toward strengthening the movement to achieve the American promise of democracy."
Manski said he expects between 900 to 1,000 people to attend the convention, which will be held at the Concourse Hotel and the Downtown campus of Madison Area Technical College.
The keynote speakers are Tom Hayden, a founding member of Students for a Democratic Society in 1961, and Cheri Honkala, an advocate for poor people's rights, with a welcome by Mayor Paul Soglin.
There are nine conferences within the convention, focusing on areas such as education, open government and media.
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