Citizen Ninja: Stand Up to Power - Softcover

Baker, Mary

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1579512208 ISBN 13: 9781579512200

Publisher: Ronin Publishing, 2016

Synopsis

Citizen Ninja stand up to power in pursuit of freedom, truth, and justice. Citizen Ninjas speak up; they don’t wait for others to speak for them. Citizen Ninjas are prepared, discerning, self-reliant and assertive. They step out of their comfort zone to nimbly challenge powerful entities that disenfranchise the public and reduce citizen power.

Citizen Ninjas respond to community issues and actively engage City Hall to make a difference. They pay attention to government business and actively direct elected public servants to create policies that benefit the interests of the whole community. They are the activists who demand government transparency and are the watchdogs who speak out when there is corruption or ethical wrongdoing.

Citizen Ninjas are passionate. They know that their civic participation places them in a better position of influence when new regulations, mandates, and ordinances are enacted.

Citizen Ninjas are activists who strive to preserve the power of self-government a representative republic that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. They actively engage in the public square rather than passively allowing government agencies to make decisions on their behalf. While being passionate, Citizen Ninjas avoid throwing vitriolic word bombs like fascist pig” or baby killer” and instead build trust, find common ground, and work toward constructive solutions.

Showing up at a city council meeting, a public workshop, a rally, or a town hall meeting to express dissatisfaction is the right thing to do, but being effective takes more than good intentions. Citizen Ninjas are smarter, more cunning and strategically savvy in approaching highly organized government agencies, powerful corporations and established non-governmental organizations they partner with.

In Citizen Ninja author Baker presents a peaceful approach to political activism espousing an exchange of ideas, robust debate, respect, and tolerance as opposed to tactics which promote violence, hatred, prejudice, and bullying. Every two years, many Americans get busy and campaign for the candidate of their choice. Activity ranges from simply speaking to friends and family about their choices, to donating money, walking precincts, and voting. Then after the election the majority go back to working, playing, and raising families.

Citizen Ninja explores the importance of continuing participation in government after elections. Baker stresses that We the People keep informed about what is going on in local government agencies city council, school board, county board of supervisors, and metropolitan planning organizations, to seek opportunities for civic participation. The book shows that we are the boss, politicians are the employees who require supervision and guidance and are more effective when having our support and attention. When we are part of the process, we are part of the solution.

In Citizen Ninja readers learn how to speak up in public without being scared or intimidated. Citizen Ninja shows that to be effective in civil discourse, we must transform the way we think about activism. Standing up to power is not about acting out in anger, condoning violence, or relying on mean-spirited tactics. Rather it is about honesty, building trust, treating others with respect, working towards constructive solutions, and effective communication.

With practice, Citizen Ninja readers will master skills that enable them to respond intelligently rather than to reacting to stimulation or provocation. These skills include how to seek opportunities for engagement, assess a setting, ask a question, discern a person’s knowledge on an issue, neutralize a bully, and more!

About this title

About the Author:

Mary Baker is a graduate of Middlebury College and acting President of the San Diego/Orange County Chapter for the non-profit organization, Citizens’ Alliance for Property Rights. Mary is on the board of CA Eagle Forum and the San Diego County Federated Republican Women and is currently developing a RWF Local Activism initiative for the County of San Diego.

As a public speaker provides workshops wherein she teaches people how to participate in the civic process effectively: How to engage in civil discourse, and how to neutralize bullies who try to silence them.

As a blogger Mary researches and writes articles and opinions on the negative impacts of sustainable development on property rights and our nation’s sovereignty. Mary co-published Dimensions of Sustainability, a report that helps elected officials navigate smart growth implementation strategies. She is co-founder of Citizens for Quality Education-San Diego, a non-partisan organization actively addressing the implementation of the new Common Core National Standards.

Review:

Are you frustrated with a government that doesn’t seem to listen to you? Are you sick of political bullies that shut you down whenever you speak out? Do you want to be involved in local decision-making but don’t know how to start? Citizen Ninja by Mary Baker might be the book for you. Citizen Ninja is a nonfiction book about creating, maintaining, and influencing healthy political discourse for more productive and responsive governments. This book is the solution for times when being passionate about an issue just isn’t enough to get stuff done.

Ms. Baker frames her ideas around the character of a ninja. Ninjas were rogue samurai in medieval Japan, and like these medieval ninjas, Citizen Ninjas stand up to larger powers through non-traditional means by being creative and resourceful. A Citizen Ninja uses focus, flexibility, confidence, practice, and strategy to take an active role in his/her/their local government. Throughout the book, Ms. Baker not only explains the strategies involved with becoming a Citizen Ninja, but also some of the traps and pitfalls that cause well-meaning activists to stumble. She provides examples of good and bad actions related to many topics throughout the book.

For many people, a book about political activism will gain appeal because 2016 is a major election year. This book, however, is really about the small decisions that local governments make all the time. Granted, it will serve you well when a dinner table political argument gets tough, but that isn’t the point. Ms. Baker’s book is non-partisan and not heavily concerned with federal politics. The perspective offered here is that government starts and ends locally. By becoming conversant with local politics, Citizen Ninjas can affect the ways that all politics impact their lives.

Government is necessary for a well-functioning society, and American government is supposed to be based on the will of the people. Mary Baker offers tools that she herself has tried and tested in order to better equip ordinary Americans to influence their governments. Every citizen is supposed to have a voice; each just needs to learn how to speak so that others will hear. This book is extremely practical in this regard for every American. The public is responsible for the government, and regardless of what is seen on television, the person who shouts the loudest is often the last one that people hear. Ms. Baker shows how learning the rules, preparing in advance, and being aware of the people around you turn a citizen into a Citizen Ninja: an effective change-agent in the decisions that affect you directly.

Even if you’ve never wanted to attend a town hall or city council meeting, join a committee or advisory board, or learn the ins and outs of zoning laws, this book might still be for you. How do you express an opinion when everyone in the room disagrees? How do you rescue a conversation when emotions start flying around?Citizen Ninja is a book about making yourself heard while maintaining the poise and maturity of an adult, a professional, or a role-model. With great pleasure, I rate this book 4 out of 4 stars, and I recommend it to everyone. This is a lesson we all can learn and an area in which improvement can never be exhausted. (L_Therese Online Book Club.org)

About this edition

• Publisher: Ronin Publishing
• Publication date: 2016
• ISBN 10: 1579512208
• ISBN 13: 9781579512200
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 200