From http://911civilinfo.blogspot.com/2008/10/my-reflections-on-911-truth-march-on.html .

I was there, and left in disgust at the bull-horn use; totally bone-headed and counter-productive.

Friday, October 10, 2008
My Reflections on the 9/11 Truth 'March On Ottawa', 2008
by Wayne Prante

I have been planning to write this for some time but wanted to allow people to enjoy their feelings of success, to recover and relax, to process their experiences, as wells as to post videos and pictures, etc. I have been very busy with various 9/11 related projects and personal issues, but have also needed time to process a lot of stuff. Now the time has come to collate the thoughts and feelings that have been running through my mind since 9/11/08.

In war, the generals always do assessments on their missions to gauge their success, to weigh the benefits vs the collateral damage, to refine their tactics, or to develop new strategies. Football coaches do the same thing after each game and even during the game to tweak the game plan. We activists are remiss and foolish if we do not do the same thing, and do not “de-brief”, engage in self-examination and constructive criticism. So pullllease ....do not get defensive and accuse me of being negative, divisive or of being an armchair quarterback, or for putting down good people down who are “trying to do something”. I am an activist too and I practice what I preach, or try to. I am not just the “color guy” giving analysis and criticism here. I am not perfect and not without my own failings and my own character defects, and I have had to make a number of attitude adjustments and tactical adjustments over the years, and continue to do so. We can only grow as individuals and as activists IF we take our own inventories. Change starts with me. So, that said, please allow me to continue.

I did attend the recent 9/11 Truth March on Ottawa on September 11th. While I was not on board “the truth bus”, that left from Vancouver, I did fly there from the west coast. It was not cheap. I was happy to be there, to lend my support, to represent my group, to meet many other 9/11 Truth activists from across Canada and to renew some old acquaintances. There were great speakers, good music and a wonderful feeling of solidarity and bonding. I also gave a talk from the podium. (parts of which are available on the net in various clips). To my knowledge the events in Ottawa (predictably) received no mainstream media coverage. As well, the parliamentarians were not there to hear anything that was said, so in the final analysis, it was unfortunately, largely a symbolic “feel good” event. There is nothing inherently bad about that. Yes, it made for some very impressive YouTube video clips (impressive to Truthers) but in essence , I feel it was another “March of the Penguins”. (NOTE I was only there on the 11th on Parliament Hill, so I am not sure what happened around Ottawa in the following days during which some other events were planned. It was raining on the 12th and the people I was staying with and riding with did not want to go back to the city in the rain).

Some really good people put a lot of time, effort and resources into making the event happen, and I thank them and salute them, as well as those folks who were coordinating things on the ground. But just as I have a duty to speak truth to power, I also have a duty to speak my truth to my friends and colleagues and the people I care about. I have a responsibility to examine the event and our efforts, and to ask, could we not have a had a greater effect with hundreds of people going out on the streets at home in our own neighbourhoods, with two or three per group, peacefully and civilly, distributing DVDs and flyers and providing a service, and giving information to people who want it? Will we not have a greater and more lasting effect by doing this on a regular consistent basis? And is it not cheaper to do that than to travel across the country, and is not a better use of our scarce resources and our time. Big events are fun for the converted but largely go unnoticed. I have put on several large events, but I am convinced that many small, civil actions are more effective and get more bang for the buck.

In addition to the speakers, predictably, there were several people wandering around with bullhorns, doing their best Alex Jones impression, ranting their lungs out, basically to themselves or at best, to a few of the converted nearby, with virtually no passersby stopping to listen. I am NOT dissing them. I applaud their effort and determination, and their desire to “do something”. Having a desire to do something and to want do the right thing is a good thing! But is bullhorning a “smart thing”? And is it “effective?” Did those who want and need the information hear the information, and stop to check out what was being said and offered. From my observations, very few. Did we win any new converts (as opposed to appealing to the like-minded)? Perhaps a few. I am not sure. Perhaps the Ottawa group may have received some new recruits, but I have not heard that.

I began by using a military analogy and will conclude with another. We have heard it said over and over that this an “Information War” and to a certain degree, that is true. But it is also, and I would argue, a “Spiritual War”. I like to use the following analogy: Like with the so-called “War on Terror”, it may have provided a “good feeling” (to those who believed the official 9/11 story) because they saw “something being done” and that they (vicariously) were “doing something” and getting revenge against the perceived evil doers for the surprise attacks. It appealed to the lowest form of human thinking and behaviour. People got their frustrations out, but it has not gone down well with the recipients. Just as we cannot bomb our way into the “hearts and minds” of the people of Afghanistan and Iraq (nor anywhere else), we cannot bomb the people with ravings of information (“info bombs”) about which they know nothing and for which they have no context, into accepting us and 9/11 rantings and ravings. We can achieve much more by being calm, confident, informed, friendly and neighbourly than by being outraged, arrogant, rude, disruptive and indignant.

There is enough fear out there and reasonable people are tired of screaming and yelling and ranting and raving on the radio and on TV, the arguments, insults, fighting, etc. That only appeals to a small minority. People are also growing weary of the MSM and the propaganda. Their ratings and subscriptions are falling and have been for a long time. We need to appeal to the masses - the mainstream (the 30% in the middle) who are sick and tired of lies, fear and propaganda. We must appeal to their “hearts and their minds”. We do that by being respectful and practicing self-control and humility or humbleness - not arrogance and brashness. We do that by not being a stereotypical protest group (with a new axe to grind every week), but rather by being concerned citizens, providing a public service, by being present and available on a consistent basis and letting them come to you, rather than shoving anything down their throat. No one likes having anything shoved down their. No one!

Those who are ready, who have open minds or already have suspicions and questions and who are looking for information will come to you, applaud you and thank you for being there. That is very rewarding and very spiritual, because you are making a connection with them, and giving them something that they are seeking: answers, but also sanity in an insane world. Very few will curse you, though there will always be some. That is also an effective usage of time and scarce resources. Unfortunately for narcissists, it doesn't make for great YouTube drama. No villains and no victims. Just average folks caring, taking responsibility and re-connecting with one another, respectfully.

We hear it said over and over: BE THE CHANGE. Too many seem to think that means we need to FORCE THE CHANGE. Force will always be met with resistance. For every action, there is a reaction. We can choose what kind of reaction we want and receive by BEING the CHANGE we want to see.

There are lots of things to be pissed off about, and people are pissed, but only because they already see and understand the problem (the war, the economy, etc). That is not the case with 911, which was PsyOp and about which they have been trained not to question. They have also been trained how to think about us, what to think about us, and how to react to us.

It is up to us to get outside the box that that has been created for us!

Stop being the SAME. Stop acting the way THEY WANT us to act and BE the CHANGE.

Let's give real thought to all that we are doing and not be afraid to analyze it, tweak it or to try new things, as well as the tried and true methods of positive psychology and of a sales and marketing strategy.

Posted by Wayne Prante at Friday, October 10, 2008