User Comments

1. 

   4/14/09

   satijournal

   Ah, the wonders of Wikipedia...
   
   In the United States, the first use of the phrase "grassroots and boots" is thought to have been coined by Senator Albert Jeremiah Beveridge of Indiana, who said of the Progressive Party in 1912, "This party has come from the grass roots. It has grown from the soil of people's hard necessities."
   en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_roots
   
   Contrasted with the current Tea Party Protests that has its origin in big money and Fox "news," which some are calling "astro-turf protests."

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   1. 

      4/15/09

      ChildPerson

      thanks, yes... I saw that and others on the net, but am still wondering about the real grass roots ... the meaning behind the meaning I guess...
   2. 

      4/18/09

      Agit8r

      For those who haven't read the Progressive "Bull Moose" Platform, it's worth reading
      
      teachingamericanhistory.org/library/index.asp?document=607
      
      paying special attention to:
      
      "The Progressive party deplores the survival in our civilization of the barbaric system of warfare among nations with its enormous waste of resources even in time of peace, and the consequent impoverishment of the life of the toiling masses. We pledge the party to use its best endeavors to substitute judicial and other peaceful means of settling international differences."
2. 

   4/14/09

   Halconite

   In my case, our grassroot communities rest on four important values or pillars : equality, dialogue, involvement and co-responsibility. People in rural communities,- especially the Mangyans (our indigenous people) are often neglected by the mainstream society and the central government,.. not unlike ordinary “grasses” in the forests. People have to re-examine their “roots” (history, heritage, faith, etc..) for community actions anchored on the above-said values or pillars.
   Equality is the sharing of common dignity members regardless of position, wealth or function in their individual family and society. Dialogue and sharing of ideas and seeking solution or making decision is a priority in every community endeavor. Involvement is the sharing of tasks and seeking participation from all its members in an active and non-violent means. Co-responsibility or sharing of responsibility in the growth of the community. This community in the process strive to become self-nourishing, self-sustaining and self-governing.
   Indeed, grasses can be eradicated but not that easy and according to a Latin dictum: “Succita virescit” (Cut down, it comes to new life.)

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   1. 

      4/15/09

      ChildPerson

      Thank you... fascinating... and closer to what is nagging at the back of my mind. Isn't there something else about grasses... hollow (open) so can absorb more sustenance from the earth? Isn't bamboo a grass?
   2. 

      4/15/09

      Halconite

      Indeed bamboo is a grass or a weed in particular. Speaking of bamboos, people in the grassroot communities are mostly as pliant as a bamboo and beacuse of this characteristic, they cannot be easily uprooted no matter how strong are the winds.
      
      By the way, rice,- our staple food, is also a grass or a weed specie. Thus, grassroot communities feed our urban centers and city folks...
3. 

   4/18/09

   ChildPerson

   Thanks so much Halconite...over time,(66 years old) and space,(lived 3 years in Orient and 3 in Africa, the rest in various parts of US) I'v picked up so many bits and pieces of information that pop up and leave me wondering if real or .... so it's great to learn from one who knows! Once I was told there is no safer place to be during an earthquake than in a bamboo grove because their underground interconection is so complex... and also something about related to one mother plant???

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4. 

   4/18/09

   Anok

   I would think that - on colloquial terms - we like to establish our connection to the Earth and others with "roots" and grass is widely spread - so a grass roots movement is a bottom up, interconnected, wide spread movement.
   
   Grass is also generally humble, but can be invasive and pervasive.
   
   Plus it sounds better than say, a "dandelion roots movement"

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   1. 

      4/20/09

      Halconite

      You are right,- Anok, in saying that grasses can be invasive and pervasive...
5. 

   4/18/09

   Agit8r

   The Green Party USA defines "Grassroots Democracy" as:
   
   "Every human being deserves a say in the decisions that affect their lives and not be subject to the will of another. Therefore, we will work to increase public participation at every level of government and to ensure that our public representatives are fully accountable to the people who elect them. We will also work to create new types of political organizations which expand the process of participatory democracy by directly including citizens in the decision-making process."

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   1. 

      4/18/09

      Agit8r

      guess that would be "sunflower" roots, eh?