29 January 17: What are you doing to strengthen democracy?

In these trying times, I believe it is important for all of us to be more active in supporting democratic values.

The analogy, from the late Danish physician Per Bak in How Nature Works, may be applicable.  If we start dropping a grain of sand onto a flat surface, the first grains just sit there.  But at some point, an additional grain will start a small avalanche.  Eventually, one grain will start a major avalanche involving almost the entire sand pile.  Most startling is that there is no difference between the grain that sits there, and the grain that causes the major avalanche.  We cannot predict which grain will have an impact, or what the impact will be, but we do know that it we do nothing, it will definitely have no impact.

Here are some of the actions others have told me they have done.  Tell me what you are doing by emai to NatPernick@gmail.com, tweeting to @natpernicktwit or responding to this post.

1. Join an organization
2. Write a letter to a public official
3. Call the offices of a public official
4. Spend money at companies that support my values (i.e. pay their employees a living wage), and tell companies that don't why you will not be doing business with them
5. Write a letter to the editor
6. Get more involved with local organizations / local issues
7. Tip generously
8. Support small businesses whenever possible
9. Buy products made in the USA 
10. Switch asset accounts and credit cards from banks "too big to fail" to credit unions

Tell us what you are doing, to inspire and motivate others to join!

Related blog articles:

We can vote before the next election

What we can individually do