What does the Coffee Party Stand for?

Sat, 09/04/2010 - 11:08am — Coffee Party USA

What does the Coffee Party Stand for?

by Annabel Park via Coffee Party Facebook page Saturday, September 4, 2010 at 11:48am

The Coffee Party is a democracy movement. We want to restore the People to the center of government. Special interests, lack of participation, and low information all threaten our democracy. We believe that hyper-partisan gridlock hurts America.

We want a fact-based, solution-oriented dialogue with Americans treating each other as fellow Americans instead of enemies or the "other side." Democracy is not a sport. It is collective decision-making process that requires collaboration, accurate information, and appreciation for individual differences.

We want to examine issues by looking for and discussing facts, principles, and values — resisting ideology, assumptions, and prejudices. The Coffee Party is a methodology for critical thinking, decision-making and social change.

We do have the word "party" in our name, but the Coffee Party is a grassroots movement; not a political party. Our aim is to create and engage in a different model of civic engagement. We seek to participate in, protect, and embody the democratic process. Without the People's participation, we do not have a democracy.

Democracy: "The term comes from the Greek: δημοκρατία – (dēmokratía) "rule of the people," which was coined from δῆμος (dêmos) "people" and κράτος (Kratos) "power." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy

We believe that there is great wisdom in our history. It's important that we recognize that the questions and issues that we face today are not entirely new. What we are talking about are enduring principles and values that we forget or ignore in panic -- in the absence of historical understanding.

"Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Those who do not remember their past are condemned to repeat their mistakes." — George Santayana

We believe in the Golden Rule: "Treat others as you would like to be treated."

For more information, CLICK HERE.

_________________________