I can understand why you call it a transnational struggle. But what does that mean beyond conceptualizing it as a local/transnational struggle. What does it mean that "folks [...] should organize transnationally" on a practical level?
Bryan
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I can kind of understand what DRR is saying. What lead me to start talking about people and events overseas to my local org was to build up some solidarity with people and places where the struggle is much more intense.
But I am in Berkeley not the midwest and many people here have already been transnationalized in some form or other. The disability movement went into international organizations to build up disability rights awareness in other countries. There was a built-in recognition the struggle was transnational.
Part of that move came from accessibility to public space, transportation and better living conditions.
Anyway, maybe there is something in Wisconsin life that links the people you work with that links them to transnational tangible issues. The first one that popped into my brain was unemployment and cutbacks in public sector jobs and raising costs of education.
They will see that probably pretty easily.
The real issue behind that connection is probably fear. People in the US are afraid on both sides. The rich are afraid of loosing their money and power. Those in the street are afraid their lives will get worse. They are also afraid of the cops and jail on top of going broke. Most people don't like to break the law. Somewhere in their mind they consider it wrong. And the american dream is probably still running their heads.
Just about everybody is a hypocrite. They want some laws changed and others enforced.
I don't know how to convince people to see law as maluable. Maybe an argument like, the rich and powerful don't go to jail for breaking the law, and we do. Let's change the law so they go to jail and we don't. Maybe organize a screening of Michael Moore spontaneous speech some months back. It's in news archives somewhere. If you haven't seen it's worth digging in the lbo archives. I posted a link to the speech, I think.
Anyway, sorry for the bad luck with the recall movement. It was a kind of chicken movement. I undertand since it kept a coalition together and a recall was the easiest law abiding direction.
CG