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*********************************************************************
INTERNET DEMOCRAT
Vol. 2 No.
1a
*********************************************************************
A Message From Charlie Gallie, Founder of Digitals,
a political action committee for Democratic Party On-Line Activists:
1. Developing 21st century electronic democracy
2. Digitals Web Site Creates Automated,
Free Web Page Capability
3. Empowering Individuals To Take Control of
Their Political Lives
4. A Peer-to-Peer Organizational Model
5. Democratic Party On-Line Activists' achievements in 1995
a. Mailing List of 10,000 Democrats
b. More than 400 web pages created.
6. An Exciting Year Ahead
-----
Dear Digitals,
As we enter 1996, I want to thank all of you who made last year so
challenging and rewarding. I have learned an enormous amount through my
mistakes, our successes and your kind advice. If this movement continues to
grow as rapidly this year as it did last year, we will play a historic
role in the 1996 elections. More importantly, we will take a major step
towards developing the electronic democracy of the next century, and in
re-establishing citizen participation in our elective process.
Our computer systems will go through constant change and growth this
year. We just installed automated web page capability, so that you can
create your own free web page at http://www.webcom.com/digitals/
We are adding bulletin board capabilities and more mailing
lists.
More challenging will be our mutual efforts to build your networks,
your organizations and your support systems. This organization is
about empowering individuals to take control of their political lives. That
cannot happen unless we can all work together to develop ideas,
organizations and support structures to support you in your efforts. A
grassroots organization is about providing tools and resources to the
membership, not overhead at the "top." We must truly build a peer-to-peer
organization, not another hierarchical Washington-based organization.
A NEW ORGANIZATIONAL MODEL
Just as the Internet and the Web are new structures for communications, our
organization must move away from the old models of a hierarchical,
mainframe, centralized, top-down structure that has dominated the thinking
in Washington for so many years. We must develop new ways of working
together that move us towards a citizen-organized, personal computer-based,
decentralized, distributed, relational, ad hoc structure--that is
characteristic of grassroots organizations.
Unlike the national party structure that requires recognition from the
highest level
in the organization, any two or more members of Digitals are encouraged to
start
their own groups without any authorization from anyone, as long as your
primary goal is helping Democrats learn and utilize this technology. Digitals
takes
no position on any political issues, and endorses no candidates, because to
do so
would fragment the membership. Individuals within the organization are free
to
express their diverse opinions on issues, of course, but as an organization
we have
the enormous task of computerizing the Democratic Party, and building a
national
network. To take on anything more is to lose focus.
ACHIEVEMENTS IN 1995
As we prepare for the '96 elections, I am amazed at your achievements last
year. More than 400 web pages have been built, some 10,000 volunteers have
joined--and you have just begun. We urge all of you to join with other
Digitals and start groups in your city and state. Based on the amount of
work that was done last year, this year will be completely unbelievable.
Some wonderful souls have contributed money to this effort and to them we
will be forever grateful. Most of our members are enthusiastic about
volunteering. They are invaluable resources that we must learn how to
use to the best advantage. No one has ever built an organization like this
over the net before, and we need your help in sharing with the rest of us
your experiences, your strength and your hope.
As we move forward into 1996, I know that you will have an enormous
impact on the elections. But always remember we are building for the future.
Each small step taken by each of us today will pay enormous results in the
days, weeks, months, years and century ahead. This organization will not go
away after the election, but will continue to be a grassroots lobbying and
discussion force for years ahead. So please, keep up the good work.
Thanks again for all the help, support and encouragement you have given your
fellows and me.
Happy New Year!
Charlie Gallie
Digitals@webcom.com
Democratic Party On-Line Activists
on the World Wide Web at http://www.webcom.com/digitals
202-625-4390
P.O. Box 75848
Washington, DC 20013
Memberships in Digitals are $50, or $25 for students.
To subscribe to Digitals national discussion list on computerizing the
Democratic Party,
send the message "subscribe" to Digitals@webcom.com.
To subscribe to a discussion list on computerizing the Democratic Party in
your state,
send the message "subscribe (your state) to Digitals@webcom.com.
--------
The Internet Democrat, vol. 2, no. 1
Publisher: James Buie (IntrnetDem@aol.com)
Feel free to forward this message to any Democrat or progressive friend on
the Net.