More on the 99% Spring

Since I mentioned the 99% Spring campaign last time (click here for that), I might as well throw in a few more thoughts about this effort to take training in nonviolent direct action to 100,000 Americans Here goes...

*First, hell yeah. This is a good idea, long overdue.

*Second, let's deal with the co-optation question. I know that some people who are political purists are concerned about the involvement of many organizations regarded as "mainstream" in the effort, as if being mainstream is an evil in itself.  I tend to regard purity as the unforgivable sin in politics so I've never been able to work up much sympathy for it. (In fact, isn't the whole idea to make things like social justice or human rights a mainstream idea?)  I will publicly state that if co-optation means getting ideas out to a broader audience than a select few, I wish to God that more such ideas get co-opted.

*Third, I hope the people who planned this didn't go to all the time and trouble of developing a curriculum, training trainers, and holding gatherings all over the country just to do some actions on Tax Day, which probably would have already happened anyway. It makes a lot more sense to me if this campaign is an ongoing and possibly long term effort. It might even be cool not only to take the show on the road for a long time but also to develop additional trainings to help people develop skills in working for social justice. Otherwise, it seems like kind of a waste of good energy.