New Options, published every three · weeks, $29/year from: New Options, Inc. PO Box 19324 Washington., DC 20036 This newsletter, written by Mark Satin, author of New Age Politics, attempts to give voice to what Satin calls "decentralist/globally responsible" politics (or sometimes "green," "transformational," or "postliberal" politics). Satin is a leading spokesperson for this kind of politics, and his board of advisors reads like a Who's Who of the alternative movement, including such notables as Fritjof Capra, Hazel Henderson, Petra Kelly, John Naisbitt, Kirkpatrick Sale, and Robert . Theobald. His coverage of the developments within this movement is informative and provocative. He reviews books and organizations with a cr~tical eye, and A group of more than 60 activists from all around the U.S. came together during the second weekend of August to lay the groundwork for a broadbased U.S. Green movement. The meeting originated with Charlene Spretnak, co-guthor of Green Politics (see RAIN X:5, pages 12-13), who formed an "inviting committee" with four other Green-oriented activists: Harry Boyte, Christian-populist author; Catherine Burton, co-founder of Earth Bank (see RAIN X:2, page 31); Gloria Goldberg, coordinator of the Institute for Social Ecology; and David Haenke: convenor of the North November/December 1984 RAIN Page 27 ACCESS: POLITICS he is not afraid to take controversial positions, which seem to provoke a substantial and spirited response from his readers. Although I often disagree with.his p.erspective, I appreciate·that he makes his perspective·clear so I know exactly what I'm disagreeing with. The willingness to take a clear stance from which to evaluate other viewpoints and activities promotes thoughtful dialogue. In the interest of participating in such dialogue, I would like to present some· critcisms of the political perspective presented in New Options. I'm concerned by Satin's-outspoken anti-Marxism and eagerness to dissociate himself from any part of ~he traditional left. For all its shortcomings (and I would agree that it does have many shortcomings), Marxis·m teaches us to look at the concrete realities of people's lives, and not just what th€y think or say. We Green Alert! American Bioregfonal Congress (see RAIN X:6,.page 31). By the end of three days the groups had arrived at some decisions regarding near-term plans: D Grassroots organizing and coalitionbuilding would be emphasized over electoral politics. · D The interim name for the various local and regional groups would be "Committees of Correspondence," after the Committees of Correspondence set up prior to the American Revolution, rather than "U.S. Green Party"·or something similar. Many a~tendees felt that the word grcc11 cannot ignore the structures of power or patterns of wealth distribution in society if we want to bring about real social change. New Age social commentators (Satin included) too often fall into the trap of claiming that people's attitudes, values, and thoughts are all that matters, that our use of technology and form of social organization are simply products of our "cultural paradigm." That's not holism, that's psychological reductionism-and bad social theory. Let us seek to develop a social philosophy that takes into account-both the spiritual/psychological and the material/structural aspects of our world, and let us develop a political practice that seeks to transcend traditional approaches to social change, not by ignoring or denouncing them, but by taking what is valid and useful from them, adding new insights, and.arriving at a new synthesis. -FLS would not invite participation from a broad enough constituency. D An interim Interregional Committee was formed to encourage "multileveled movement building." D An interim national office is being set up in Minneapolis. For more information, write to Interregional Committee of Correspondence, PO Box 14748, Minneapolis, MN 55414. Send $5'if you wish to be placed on the mailing list and to receive the committee's "statement of values and principl'es," or send $25 to become a ·charter supporter. -FLS
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