ABOUT VELVET REVOLUTION

Velvet Revolution is a term coined to describe the peaceful road to change in countries where governments ignored the inalienable rights of the people.  A few inspiring Velvet Revolutions occurred in the former Soviet Union, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, South Africa, and of course, most recently in Ukraine. The citizens of those countries, tired of corruption and arrogant power, joined together by the millions in a sustained campaign of opposition – they demonstrated, boycotted, petitioned, and engaged in strikes until the pillars of power were replaced by the halls of the people.

VelvetRevolution.us ("VR") is a network of more than 120 progressive organizations reaching millions of people demanding progressive change through our VR Media, Electoral Reform, Conflict Resolution and Youth Revolution Campaigns. Indeed, Americans everywhere are excited about our many recent successes including helping to bring Election Reform issues and the Downing Street Memos to the attention of the American public. Our Board is diverse, experienced and strong. Although the VR name and concept are relatively new, the people and organizations behind it are not. VR is not a new startup but rather a continuum and the next logical step for those involved -- a marriage in which strengths are magnified by the common goals of the partners. Indeed, it is experience, ideas and vision that provide the promise of success for VR.

The Need for VR

VR's issues are not a matter of Right and Left. They are a matter of Right and Wrong! The tactics and the power of the Democrats and progressives in this country have not been sufficient to check the actions of a corrupt Republican agenda. The left has not been able to develop the necessary tactics to win this battle for the heart of America, despite the fact that there are many fine progressive organizations with many members. The leadership of the Democrat Party has generally engaged in a pattern of appeasement, and few organizations have had the clout or backbone to go toe to toe with the right. In many major battles recently, the Democrats have rolled over, and the result is a frightening world of perpetual war and civil strife, both literally and figuratively, led by a President who is blind and indifferent to the destruction he sows.

VR was conceived to fight for the Constitutional rights of all American citizens and to fight the corrupt tactics of the Right and the Left where warranted.  In short, VR has taken the lessons learned abroad where despotic, corrupt and war-mongering governments ignored the rights of the people, and the people themselves rose up en masse and refused to back down until positive change was secured.

VR is putting together one of the most massive coalitions of progressive, democratic and religious organizations ever joined in the United States to stand up against a corrupt Anti-American agenda in D.C. We are bringing together such groups, supporting their efforts, and mobilizing our own. A list of just some of the groups that we are working with is on the front page of our website, www.velvetrevolution.us, and it is growing each day.

VR is a citizen's brigade that will use every available legal and peaceful means to depose the a corrupt agenda, no matter where it is found (currently, the so-called "neo-conservatives" are leading the way in this regard!) from the corridors of power. Our allegiance is not to political parties, but to the will of the people in support of their right to the free pursuit of happiness and a government as advertised: Of the People, by the People and for the People.

• We will lead with truthful information through all types of media, starting with the Internet and the use of cutting-edge technology, which we are even now developing and using online with lightening speed.
• We will have a 24/7/365 war room mentality - instead of waiting for elections and campaigns - to respond quickly and effectively to lies and self-serving political propaganda.
• We will have grant making ability to be able to immediately deliver funds to our members, large and small, to support their opposition actions on the ground, on the net, and across the airwaves.
• We will have email lists with tens of millions of members who can act on a dime to mobilize opposition to un-Constitutional power grabs by the political and corporate elite.
• We will have a battery of volunteer and paid attorneys who can go into court to quickly stop major assaults on the rights of the people.
• We will take over where the corporate media has failed us, creating our own media starting with the Internet and moving into radio and TV.
• We will employ economic boycotts against companies and states that oppose the freedom of the people.
• We will be unrelenting in our drive to secure information about wrongdoing by those who abuse their power.
• We will use the full power of the citizenry to fight for what is just.
• We will not be scared. We will not be intimidated.

VR's first campaign targeted electoral reform. It is our belief that the past three national elections have been tampered with and are most likely aberrations of the American Voters intentions. The evidence mounts, and yet there is a disappointing lack of widespread action. VR has changed this by becoming a leader in election reform with many successes and many more to come.

VR has built a massive mobilization effort to demand that the nine major voting machine companies (which happen to largely and undemocratically be supporters of just one major political party) make their machinery transparent, verifiable, tamper-proof and providing auditable ballots. Our website, www.velvetrevolution.us has a wealth of information about election reform, updated daily with the most reliable information. We are also supporting litigation and legislation to require election transparency, and we are one of the first major organizations to support a constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right of all citizens to vote.

In addition:

• We are demanding that the media do its job rather than merely reporting what the elite power structure wants us to hear, and we will create and support independent media.
• We are opposing the war in Iraq and support peaceful dialogue and policies of peace.
• We are supporting freedom in the broad sense of the word, and especially individual freedom.
• We are opposing religious based rationales for governmental action and we support secularism.
• We are galvanizing and mobilizing young people to join this revolution.

Last fall in Ukraine, we saw how an organized opposition was able to tear down decades of corruption and despotism in just a few short weeks, without any bloodshed, all because they were prepared. They did this by the actions of less than 1% of the population in Independence Square. We have learned from these lessons and will act now to bring change here at home. We have organized quickly to lead in a way that will inspire people to follow.

VR will use the lessons learned in civil rights movements worldwide to insure that the policies and laws of the United States respect a rule of law based on the inalienable rights of freedom, liberty, peace and happiness.  Tens of millions of Americans have made it very clear recently that they want a government that is tolerant, honest and respectful. Quite simply, we will lead and continue the fight in this great country for Truth, Justice and the American Way. VR is your movement.  Please join, support and act! We are a citizens brigade! And without you...we're nothing! Feel free to email us if we can answer any other questions or if your organization may be interested in coming aboard as an affiliate organization!

For more on VR, please see:

• About VR...
• VR's Charter 05 Manifesto...
• VR's Strategic Framework...
• Recent VR Actions...