I Own Coffee

On Sept 26th, 2010 at 8pm ET MTV will premiere 9500 Liberty. Annabel Park, explains how the lessons of 9500 Liberty, documenting how the extremists dominated the debate over immigration in Prince William County, VA in 2007 & 2008, inspired her to start the Coffee Party movement. The main lesson: the silent, disengaged majority must wake up and participate before extremists take over our governments.

http://www.coffeepartyusa.com/content/how-lesssons-9500-liberty-led-coffee-party

http://www.9500Liberty.com

MTV Tr3s website for “9500 Liberty” with exclusive bonus features

http://www.tr3s.com/shows/featured/9500-liberty/

I wanted to share this review of a film that I co-directed, 9500 Liberty, with you because it chrystalizes the underlying critique of America’s political process that led me and Eric to start the Coffee Party.

From the Boston Globe, 9/10/2010

“9500 Liberty” is not just about the clash of immigrant Hispanics and white nativists, but about what happens when a community’s civic machinery is hijacked by ideologues and extremists — and what exactly it takes for the silent center to push back.”
“A cynic might observe that the latter got involved only when they saw their property values start to decline. An optimist would take heart in the palpable outrage of citizens — trembling this time with indignation — who have remembered almost too late that scoundrels are emboldened by silence. 9500 Liberty is both an inspiration and a warning.”

If I hadn’t documented the process by which extremists took over the government in Prince William County, VA, I wouldn’t have started the Coffee Party. The truth is, we are all vulnerable to extremist tactics — at all levels of government. This is a loophole in our democratic process. The way to close this loophole is this: 1) Get Information out 2) Build a sense of community by creating a place where people can meet — both face-to-face and online 3) Show up and participate.

In short: Information, Community, Participation.

The brave citizens of Prince William County — Republicans, Democrats, religious leaders, business leaders, and stay-at-home moms — managed to achieve this in order to win control of their government. The process is documented in 9500 Liberty, and written about in today’s review.

Duration : 0:3:48

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What if we all cared enough to vote?
Not just 54% of us, but 100% of us?
What if we cared as much on Nov. 5th as we care on Nov. 4th?
What if we cared all of the time the way we care some of the time?
What if we cared when it was inconvenient as much as we care when its convenient?
Would your community be a better place?
Would our country be a better place?
Would our world be a better place?
We think so, too.
Celebrate the election today by coming into any Starbucks and well proudly give you a tall cup of brewed Coffee. On us.

You and Starbucks. Its bigger than coffee.

Limit one per person. Good while supplies last. Void where prohibited by law.

© 2008 Starbucks Coffee Company

********UPDATE********
The song in the song is called, “Trillium Glance” by Michael Montes, for those that are asking.

Duration : 0:1:1

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Technorati Tags: Coffee, election, free, politics, Starbucks, vote, voting