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"Democracy Won; Blackwater Zero"

That was the headline on my Huffington Post piece late Tuesday night, breaking the news from the San Diego County Registrar of Voters that the people of the tiny border town of Potrero -- who had just spent a year of their lives fighting Blackwater -- had won an overwhelming landslide victory.

From the bottom-up, they beat Blackwater at the ballot box. By a stunning 2-to-1 margin.

In the first up-or-down vote related to Blackwater ever held in the United States, Potrero voters decisively recalled five elected leaders from office who had previously approved Blackwater's plans to build a base in their small town -- a mercenary training facility consisting of 15 firing ranges, a helipad, and a heavy vehicle operator's course covering the equivalent of 10 football fields.

The best part? This traditionally conservative rural community -- Potrero voters embraced the re-election of George W. Bush, 62%-37% over John Kerry, in 2004 -- shocked even the most optimistic observers by electing the entire slate of "Save Potrero" community leaders running as a coalition to block Blackwater's base. The "Save Potrero" candidates individually received anywhere from 62-71% of the post-recall vote to replace the staunch pro-Blackwater Planning Group members.

The battle to block Blackwater's base is not over, however. While all of the pro-Blackwater members of the Potrero Planning Group were booted from office, the base may still be approved by the San Diego County Board of Supervisors. To block Blackwater's base in California, it's going to take a people-powered movement of patriots across America.

Let's face it. The larger our numbers, the louder our voice. 12,257 people have already signed on. Will you join the movement today at our new web site?

http://www.BlockBlackwater.com

As trite as it may sound, this really is a David and Goliath story. The "David" in this case is personified by Carl Meyer, a soft-spoken local farmer who helped organize his neighbors to protect their way of life and hit Blackwater between the eyes.

Day and night, Carl and the "Save Potrero" grassroots team hand-painted signs, sent xeroxed mailers, knocked on doors, called voters, and generally did everything possible to win. Well, except for spending obscene amounts of money on overpriced consultants and expensive glossy mailers.

Blackwater, the Goliath of private security contractors, never expected small-town democracy to derail their plans to build a California base for a domestic private militia.

The Courage Campaign, which has been organizing against Blackwater's attempt to invade California since April, traveled to Potrero after the recent wildfires to film a two-minute documentary about Carl Meyer's courageous stand against Blackwater. Click here to watch this unique and poignant film on our new web site. Then join the movement by signing on and forwarding this link to your friends:

http://www.BlockBlackwater.com 

To no one's surprise, Blackwater is not backing down.

Brian Bonfiglio, Blackwater's Vice-President, expressing the security firm's disregard for the democratic will of the community most impacted by its planned base, told reporters that the overwhelming recall would not deter Blackwater. Bonfiglio, admitting the Blackwater has already "spent over a million dollars so far on a piece of paper," is going for broke. Here's what he said, on-the-record, about the recall:

"I don't care one way or the other... regardless of who's sitting in that (Planning Group) seat, we are proceeding."

Clearly, Blackwater could care less about Potrero. Facing multiple investigations jeopardizing hundreds of millions in no-bid Iraq contracts, Blackwater needs new revenue streams to build its para-military business. According to an article just published in the New York Times, Blackwater wants "to win more Homeland Security contracts focused on border security training, and in choosing the location here, just eight miles from the border, Blackwater (is) banking on an increase in the number of border guards."

Carl Meyer and his fellow "Save Potrero" candidates have done everything in their power to block Blackwater's base. Now, they need your support. Please watch this two-minute film about Carl at our new web site, then build the movement by telling your friends to oppose Blackwater's base today:

http://www.BlockBlackwater.com

While you would think that the San Diego County Board of Supervisors would heed the overwhelming local opposition to Blackwater, we can't count on it. The Board's previous record on community development issues is -- it is charitable to say -- less than progressive.

In the next few months, Blackwater will be using its considerable war chest to convince at least three of the five supervisors to overrule the voters and approve its 824-acre mercenary training facility. As the votes were being counted Tuesday night, I asked Carl Meyer what could happen if the Board caves to Blackwater:

"The same recall mechanism works for county supervisors as for the Potrero planning group."

That's democracy. Not that Blackwater cares.

Carl Meyer and the "Save Potrero" team showed that it doesn't take big money to beat Blackwater. It takes people power. Join our movement today:

http://www.BlockBlackwater.com

Thank you for showing your support.

Rick Jacobs
Chair

P.S. In collaboration with grassroots and netroots activists in Potrero, San Diego, across California and the country, the Courage Campaign is building a people-powered movement to block Blackwater's base. Opposing Blackwater is not just about the atrocities they've committed in Iraq. Opposing Blackwater is a public health issue, it's an environmental issue, it's a quality-of-life issue, and it's a moral issue.

The first battle has been won. Now, we need your signature to win the war:

http://www.BlockBlackwater.com

 

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Courage Campaign is an independent political committee and online organizing network empowering netroots and grassroots activists to leverage online tools for offline action and build a progressive California. Currently, the Courage Campaign is working every day to block Blackwater's plans to build a base on the California border (BlockBlackwater.com), challenge the so-called "Electoral College Reform Initiative" (NoDirtyTricks.com), and hold representatives like Senator Dianne Feinstein accountable (CourageCampaign.org/censure).

 

Paid for by the Courage Campaign Issues Committee

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