8 SIMPLE RULES -- FOR ACTIVISM
By CHARLES JAY, 2004 Personal Choice Party Presidential Candidate


Once upon a time I thought government had the answers to a lot of things. In fact, it was not that long ago. 

Through experience, I discovered otherwise.

These days, I spend much of my time taking measures to reduce the size and intrusiveness of government, or limit its growth. I have come to realize that most of the answers really come from people - just like me, just like you - who are ready to step forward and be heard. 

Activism is defined as "the use of direct, often confrontational action, such as a demonstration or strike, in opposition to or support of a cause."

I spent nearly two decades being involved, either on a full or part-time basis, in the professional boxing industry. During that period of time I studied the business carefully, and spotted areas where it could and should be changed in order to grow and prosper. When I gravitated into the publishing and multimedia business, I decided that the sport needed to be reformed, and that such a movement badly needed someone who knew the "lay of the land" to come forward and frame the issues effectively. At the time - indeed, even at this moment - the industry I devoted so much of my life to is about to be taken over by the very people who are least equipped to reform it: the politicians in Washington. 

And so I took the task on myself.

A movement did not already exist, so I created and sustained a virtual one-man crusade, principally through writing some investigative and opinion pieces that were shocking to many, both in and out of the industry. Over the course of time, my point started to come across. Officials on the state level and bureaucrats in Washington began to take notice, and I have managed to affect some positive changes in the way the business conducts itself. Today, I am known as arguably the country's leading expert on boxing reform, and have movd into defending the "right to play" through another initiative, "Gamblers Autonomous". Naturally, all this has pulled me into the political world. 

I am far from being the ultimate expert, but in terms of activism, I have, in a way, "been there, done that". And I'm still doing it. The job is not finished, and we might not secure a clear victory in the end. But everyone's aware we are here. 

I say "we" because now I have a task force which investigates the ineptitude and corruption of public officials, mostly as they concern state athletic commissions. The goal is to use our work as a model for what can be done across the board in the political world. 

Activism is a noble thing - an undertaking I highly recommend for everyone. Indeed, as time progresses, and you become involved with career and family, you will encounter things you feel you want to change. As that happens, don't hesitate to throw yourself into it. Take the posture that if you don't, who will?

I have put together a set of rules to remember for prospective activists. They are by no means the first or last words on this subject; only the product of some of my own experiences. 

Here they are:


* KNOW YOUR SUBJECT COLD -- Ideally, if you're going to be spearheading any type of activist movement, you want to put yourself in a position where you know the pertinent subject matter as well as anyone. You want to be theoretically be able to debate the other side anywhere and anytime with confidence, with a reasonable expectation of winning that argument. If you don't have a command of your issue, you are going to lose credibility, or worse yet, get caught with your "pants down". 

From a personal standpoint, I've been able to derive an advantage, in that dealing with the regulation and reform of professional boxing for the last several years and the current battle for choice and against oppressive and intrusive anti-gambling laws, I have a background in those areas, so I knew quite a bit going in. But that doesn't mean you can't study your issue of choice - even if you do not have a background in it - intently, and put together convincing arguments. 


* BE WILLING TO LEARN -- Even if you know your subject cold, that doesn't mean you couldn't learn something else. Leave yourself wide open to it. Usually it's not something about idealism or principles. It's more about process and plain old human nature. In many case, I may have felt a certain way about an issue at the beginning of a journey, but over the course of time, as my examination became more and more exhaustive, I underwent something of a transformation. Through this, I came to realize that the mechanisms by which certain standards would be put in place were extremely faulty; that the premise on which certain legislation was based was false; that the people who were grabbing for the ultimate authority were either corrupt, inept, or ill-informed, and that the tactics used by proponents of the legislation in question were unseemly. 

So, a concept that, on the surface, would ideally serve a noble purpose becomes, at the end of the day, a boondoggle. I can say that unequivocally because my survey was as comprehensive as anything ever undertaken, and by this time, my opinion means a great deal to others. If my attitude didn't leave me open to "tweaking" my conclusions, no "metamorphosis" could ever come about.


* HAVE A SOLUTION OR ALTERNATIVE -- Sorry - it's not enough to simply attack something, or blast someone. If there is an issue that needs to be addressed, and for example, you are trying to defeat a piece of legislation - whether it's on the local, state, or national level - that will be ineffective or is otherwise wrong, you should be prepared to come with an alternative solution or some plan of action that would prove itself to be more feasible. 

That's one of the things I've tried to do periodically while writing my "Operation Cleanup" books. And it's what I'm continuing to do with my task force. For instance, understanding that national standards, especially on the medical/safety end, for the boxing industry can serve a positive purpose, yet recognizing that the involvement of the federal government is not prudent, and asking taxpayers to subsidize it is wrong, I've been formulating a plan for the privatization of regulation. It calls for support through "user fees", which would improve the quality of regulation and offer more in the way of services that can produce better health and safety. Also, reducing the politicization of an industry can prove to be less of a headache for state governments, if you package it the right way. As we speak there is a state that is considering this privatization plan, and then we will have a model to present to other states. That's an example of a constructive presentation of alternatives, which can result in effective activism.


* ESTABLISH ALLIANCES TO FILL THE VACUUM -- Find people who do the things you can't do, or who do them better, and figure out a way to coordinate efforts for the purpose of getting ahead. I've aligned myself at various times with lobbyists who shared my point of view, and made sure some of my literature got into the hands of senators and representatives; attorneys who could point me in the right direction from a legal perspective; and even various state administrators who were protective of their states' rights and opposed to federal intervention, who offered advice and helped acquaint me with the legislative process. Customarily you can also expect help from people within whatever industry relates to your issue, as I did. Of course, I don't see eye to eye on everything with all these people, but I found the common ground between us. And that's what's important.


* BE OBJECTIVE -- Even though you are on one side of a point of view, don't be afraid to accede to the proposition that there might be something positive on the other side. Give credit where credit is due. And it will help you too, as you're shaping a presentation. If you've staked out your positions effectively, you'll be able to counter the overall argument of the opposition. And your own argument will resonate with a lot more credibility if it doesn't appear as if you're looking at things with blinders on. 


* STEP UP TO THE PLATE -- This kind of thing is not for the feint of heart. In a lot of ways, it's a lot like a candidacy. You need to be in it all the way. If you're scared about how your opponents are going to act when you do or say something, you're probably in the wrong field. You need to have nerves of steel, in a sense. You need to stand up for your convictions, and do what you believe is right, regardless of what the cost might be. A general rule of thumb - if you're not sacrificing something, how much could a crusade really mean?


* EDUCATE - DON'T OBFUSCATE -- Senator John McCain is the sponsor of federal legislation that would essentially allow politicians to take over the regulation of the professional boxing industry. Consequently, he is my adversary on this issue. You don't know how many times I've talked to someone who was a big fan of McCain, absolutely convinced of the sincerity of his effort, who I was able to eventually convert into an opponent of McCain's bill. I certainly didn't do it through a name-calling campaign. I did it by taking a reasoned, logical approach, stringing together one piece of evidence after another over time. It's really quite amazing how you win people over to your side by just getting them to look below the surface. 


* GET MAD -- Don't ever believe anyone who tells you politics always has to be a "feel good" thing. No one's ever made a significant change in this world without first getting angry about it. That's what creates the passion; it's what enables you to get past self-absorption, and what gives you the adrenaline rush that comes with each little victory, which in turn fuels subsequent battles. If you're dealing with issues that concern a lot of people, you have to be able to connect with their anger or discontent, or figure out a way to create it. And don't lose your head - always make sure you channel your emotions in a positive direction.