From Grassroots to National Policy:

How Local Actions Shape National Impact

Many Americans currently feel that engaging in politics is futile, perceiving a loss of control over their local, state, and national governance. I share their concerns about the apparent disarray but firmly believe that our constitutional republic is neither lost nor irreparably broken. In fact, it’s quite functional and effective, but only if you actively engage with it and understand the underlying rules of the game.

Despite feelings of despair, I contend that change is possible, and I can demonstrate this: local action is essential for national impact. However, as I've emphasized before, this path is neither easy nor quick. We are significantly behind, we need to start getting involved now and plan for involvement 10, 20, even 30 years into the future. To understand our current state, we must first acknowledge how we arrived here. Let me provide you with an example.

Many Americans believe that the problems our country faces have appeared suddenly. However, the reality is that these issues are the result of a long-term strategy that unfolded quietly right under our noses. This is precisely why it is crucial to get involved in politics, and involvement means more than just voting or attending “rallies” it means deeply understanding the system.

By knowing the system well, you are equipped to identify the source of a problem, understand who is responsible, and determine the necessary initiatives to address it. Whether or not you directly participate in these initiatives, initiating them is critical.

This allows individuals to engage in various ways that suit their lifestyle, whether it's creating action plans, donating funds, spreading awareness on social media, or organizing initiatives themselves.

The challenge, however, is that many people don't know how to effectively insert themselves into the process in a manner that aligns with their daily lives. This often stems from a lack of deep knowledge about how our constitutional republic operates.

David and Goliath, Per Se

Consider the following statistic, reflecting a critical demographic insight that underscores the importance of understanding our system to effectively engage, no matter your lifestyle.

Before delving into the statistics, let's address a significant concern shared by many regarding the appropriateness and potential harm to our youth from certain public events. I'm referring to events where individuals, frequently caught in stories and videos, are dressed in ways that many find objectionable, disgusting and utterly inappropriate during children's reading sessions.

My aim is to keep this discussion fact-based, focusing on understanding the mechanisms that permit these occurrences, rather than responding emotionally. It's crucial to identify why and how these events are allowed, as it guides our approach to potential advocacy or reform.

The presence of individuals dressed inappropriately at events meant for children has raised widespread concern, transcending color, race, religion, or sexual orientation. It is troubling that such events are permitted. The essential question we must ask is: How did this happen? This inquiry helps us prevent such occurrences in the future and ensure that our community standards are upheld.

According to the Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, their 2016 estimate suggests that 0.6% of adults in the United States, approximately 1.4 million people, identify as transgender. Here are additional statistics from Gallup and Pew Research Center indicating that the transgender community constitutes about 0.5% to 1.6% of the population.

Over approximately 20 years, this community has achieved significant milestones, including legal recognition, anti-discrimination legislation, healthcare access, increased media visibility, political representation, supportive educational policies, changes to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), military service rights, and a redefinition of aspects of human biology. These changes have occurred whether one agrees with them or not.

How were they able to accomplish so much? A key factor is local action, which led to national impacts that have affected all of our lives in various ways. This community employed a strategic approach, often building on the momentum of other movements within the broader LGBTQ community, particularly before transgender issues were distinctly recognized.

They also received support from well-established organizations like GLAAD and the Human Rights Campaign. Reflect on this: just 0.5% to 1.6% of the population has driven significant societal change. Let that sink in.

Gallup

Pew Research Center

Voting Machines, Corporate Influence

Let's tackle another pressing issue in our community: voting machines. Their use has become a contentious topic recently. We know that any electronic device can be manipulated, hacked, or tampered with. It's widely acknowledged that the most secure methods for conducting elections are paper ballots, requiring voter ID, and same-day voting.

Why aren't these practices more universally adopted? The reason may be similar to that of the transgender movement: local initiatives lead to national impacts.

This highlights the significant influence that local actions can have on national outcomes, particularly in the realm of voting technology. The progression from local experiments in the 1800s to the introduction of the first electronic voting machines in Kane County, Illinois, exemplifies this. These early local implementations eventually led multiple states to adopt similar technologies, subsequently shaping national policies.

The widespread adoption of electronic voting machines across states necessitated comprehensive federal regulations, resulting in the enactment of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) in 2002. This legislation was crafted to address the varied challenges and inconsistencies in voting systems.

Local actions that lead to national impacts in the context of voting machine adoption often start with corporate initiatives. These companies, aiming to expand their market reach and secure contracts, strategically target local jurisdictions as testing grounds for new technologies. By influencing local election officials through lobbying, pilot programs, and demonstrations, these corporations can set precedents that may later be adopted on a larger scale.

Once a technology is embedded locally, it often gains momentum and can become a standard, influencing policies and practices at the state and national levels. This process illustrates how corporate-driven initiatives at the local level can catalyze significant changes across the country, shaping the infrastructure and practices of national electoral systems. You can start here. 

Constitutional Changes

19th Amendment

The Women’s Suffrage movement, which culminated in the 19th Amendment, was ignited by a critical local action in Seneca Falls, New York, in 1848. This crucial event was the Seneca Falls Convention, the first women’s rights convention in the United States, organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott. At this gathering, activists discussed the social, civil, and religious conditions and rights of women, setting a foundational stage for the national suffrage movement with the drafting of the Declaration of Sentiments.

26th Amendment

The campaign to lower the U.S. voting age to 18 gained momentum in the 1960s, largely fueled by student activism on college campuses. A significant early demonstration took place at the University of California, Berkeley, during the Free Speech Movement in 1964. Here, students advocating for academic freedom and political expression sparked national interest in lowering the voting age, driven by the inequity that they could be drafted at 18 but could not vote until 21.

24th Amendment

The drive to abolish poll taxes in federal elections, leading to the 24th Amendment, was significantly powered by the civil rights movement of the early 1960s. A notable local initiative that contributed to this change was led by Evelyn Butts, a civil rights activist from Norfolk, Virginia. Her lawsuit, Harper v. Virginia State Board of Elections, filed in 1963, challenged the constitutionality of Virginia’s poll tax as a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. This case, alongside widespread activism in the South, was instrumental in raising awareness and catalyzing the federal prohibition of poll taxes with the ratification of the 24th Amendment in 1964.

These amendments showcase how localized actions can spearhead substantial national changes, highlighting the profound impact of grassroots advocacy on American constitutional law.

Crimes Against Children

U.S. laws and punishments for acts of pedophilia have evolved significantly, reflecting societal shifts and the growing recognition of children’s rights.

Early America: Initially, U.S. laws on sexual offenses, including those against children, were based on English common law, which viewed children, especially daughters, as property. Punishments were inconsistently applied, focusing on property rights. However, in the 1820s, local grassroots campaigns led by women’s groups and religious communities began to challenge this lenient treatment, crucially shifting the societal perception of children from property to individuals deserving of protection.

19th Century: By this century, states began enacting specific statutes against the sexual exploitation of children, initially setting the age of consent as low as ten to twelve years old. Influenced by the social purity movement, initiated at the local level, advocates strongly pushed for higher ages of consent and moral protection for children. These efforts culminated in raising the age of consent to between 16 and 18, significantly influencing national norms and legislation.

20th Century: This period marked major legal advancements with increased public awareness and clearer legal definitions leading to harsher penalties for sexual offenses against children, including the establishment of sex offender registries in the 1990s. Federal laws such as the Jacob Wetterling Act (1994), Megan’s Law (1996), and the Adam Walsh Act (2006) standardized the tracking and penalization of sex offenders. Local grassroots organizations, like the Mothers of East Los Angeles in the 1980s, were pivotal in raising awareness about child safety, leading to the enactment of stringent local laws that influenced national legislation.

21st Century: Modern efforts focus on both punitive and preventative measures, addressing digital exploitation and emphasizing international cooperation against child pornography and trafficking. Laws continue to adapt, addressing new challenges as our understanding of abuse’s impacts deepens. 

Local initiatives, driven by community organizations and school programs, have increasingly focused on combating digital exploitation through education and technological safeguards, supporting broader legislative changes that promote safer internet use and stronger protections against digital forms of child exploitation.

The Only Way is Local

These historical and ongoing efforts demonstrate the power of local initiatives in shaping broad legislative frameworks that protect children from sexual exploitation and abuse.

Throughout history, political movements, whether for good or ill, have always started at the local level. This is an undeniable fact. A thorough understanding of our system is crucial. Everyone should be clearly aware of what is happening not only to our children but also to children who come from other countries. There is still much work to be done to safeguard our children. Despite positive progress, our efforts are not enough as our children are still vulnerable to pedophilia and exploitation. The sentences for such crimes are still far from what they should be, indicating the need for significant legal reform.

Local action, national impact must take on new meaning. It should be seen as the only way forward, the sole path to real change. Those who feel that their local efforts would be futile need to reconsider and ask themselves if they truly desire change. Reflect on the impact of the transgender community, a small minority, has made substantial changes, which I view as negatively, in our society. While they deserve equal treatment, the redefining of biological and societal roles has been contentious.

No matter your stance on current events, what matters is how you choose to influence or improve the situation. The only way to do this effectively is to understand the governmental system that may be aiding or hindering progress. In many cases, our government holds us back not because of systemic flaws alone but because of our inaction. Understanding your power within this system is crucial. 

The Divide

Many of you are aware of my reservations about certain prevailing theories and narratives, such as devolution, military occupancy, and the idea of the United States as a corporate entity. I want to clarify why I challenge these ideas. These theories can lead to feelings of futility and disillusionment, which discourage active local involvement, the very essence of how change is accomplished in America. They threaten to erode the national pride we hold in our country, which, despite its flaws, remains a beacon of hope.

These theories often discourage debate and open discussion. Instead of engaging in constructive dialogue, they tend to dismiss and even demean opposing views, labeling skeptics as unpatriotic or ignorant. This approach not only divides us but distracts us from working on practical, local solutions that can truly make a difference.

Furthermore, these theories promote a top-down, New World Order ideology that suggests we depend on a single leader or government entity to dictate change. This is not the American way. Our country’s strength comes from its people, from communities like yours. The real power to effect change lies not with one person or in overarching theories but within each individual and community taking action.

Despite the challenges we face, I firmly believe that the responsibility and capability to improve our nation rest with you, the reader, and with every local community across the country. We are the key to our country’s future, not distant ideologies or leaders who will come and go. Let’s focus on empowering local initiatives and restoring our belief in what we can achieve together.

Written by Andrew Fayal, 17th SOG