tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9438466.post3764688482690687672..comments2023-06-20T06:34:12.073-07:00Comments on <b>MAN-MAKING BLOG</b>: Killing Government Youth-Serving ProgramsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9438466.post-67954734441382106662011-02-28T14:43:05.140-07:002011-02-28T14:43:05.140-07:00G’day - I’m appalled at what is happening in the U...G’day - I’m appalled at what is happening in the USA regarding these programs, just as you are.<br /><br />From the distance of Australia, it has for some time seemed to me that USA is ‘the land of the free – so long as you are wealthy, healthy and well-educated!’ I don’t think I hold this perception alone.<br /><br />FYI. I want to suggest to you that there may be a way of effecting large scale change of attitude in politics. <br /><br />In Australia, some years ago a group on concerned citizens decided that the antics and prejudices and adversarial behavior of our major political party were dysfunctional and not in the best interests of Australia. Thus was formed an organization, which mostly acts online. It’s called – GetUp. http://getup.org.au/ <br /><br />GetUp is an issues-based, non party political organization. It takes in issues which members put forward. If you look at current and previous campaigns http://www.getup.org.au/campaigns/ you will get an idea of how it has ranged far and wide. The two major political parties in Australia hate it, yet have to respect it and what it does/achieves. GetUp currently has over 436,000 subscribers / members in a population of 21 million. That’s 2%, but if we extract non-voters under 18 YO it is at least double that percentage and very significant in political terms. Explore the site fully to get a good idea of how it works, especially the "About Us" area.<br /><br />Members are not obliged to support all campaigns – you opt in to support any given campaign. For example, I supported the campaign to highlight inadequate funding of mental health services in Australia prior to our last Australian election, but I often don’t support campaigns for causes such as accepting people who bypass the Australian immigration system and attempt to land on our shores by illegal means – usually boats from Indonesia; in my view they pay thousands of dollars to the smugglers who run these operations and are behaving like spoiled children jumping the queue. GetUp is able to raise tens of thousands of dollars in donations to place advertisements for specific campaigns. For example, money was raised here to place advertisements in major USA newspapers protesting against the highly unethical statements of some of your politicians that Julian Assange, an Australian citizen and author of the Wikileaks, was America’s No. I enemy and should be shot – legally or illegally. Regardless of the rights or wrongs of the case, this was just hysterical, illogical, illegal behavior encouraging American citizens to bypass your, our and the world legal systems which are there to determine right and wrong and judge accordingly. (World media has a lot to answer for with its engagement of the people and its partisan actions, often toxic.)<br /><br />GetUp in Australia has been responsible for influencing politicians’ votes and effecting changes of policies – sometimes in small ways and sometimes in major ways.<br /><br />I say all this merely to illustrate that this modern way of using technology (the internet) to allow citizens to make their views known to politicians of any/all political persuasions is a practical alternative to simply sitting on your thistle whining about things or simply urging people to contact politicians. (I’m not suggesting for one minute that the former is what you are doing.) This is a highly organized way of managing the second option, making it easy for people to do so. <br /><br />Perhaps it is something that members of your organization would look at initiating as a grass-roots movement to tell politicians that their performance and behavior are simply not acceptable to the people, the citizens – the voters! Just a thought and suggestion.<br /><br />Regards,<br /><br />Brian Mier<br />Men's Health Educator<br />Eagle Health Resources<br />PO Box 194, Abbotsford Vic 3067<br />Australia<br />www.eaglehealth.net.auBrian Miernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9438466.post-83511264418811151802011-02-28T09:59:39.770-07:002011-02-28T09:59:39.770-07:00Earl,
I understand your concern. I believe at some...Earl,<br />I understand your concern. I believe at some point we need to have our government stop funding every program that comes along, just because it sounds good. We each need to look at where our money is going and decide if it is being spent wisely.<br /><br />I am sure you are well aware that many programs are NOT using our funds the way we intended. If you are knowledgeable about every program on your list and know they are all using OUR money prudently, so be it!<br /><br />If I believe a program is doing work I believe in and spends my money wisely, I donate to them generously. Sadly, nearly every program I look at these days is spending a disproportionate amount on buildings and management.<br /><br />Thank you for your posts, keep 'em comin'!<br /><br />Sincerely,<br />BradBradnoreply@blogger.com