i need help with the definition...

of what it means for something to be 'grassroots'.

my conception of it is something like this...(and i'll put this in terms of bike races, because that's what i understand) let's say i want to put on a cross race (for those of you who are not familiar with the cycling terms i use...tough, look them up yourself or check out my other blog); so i pick out a possible course, i talk to the appropriate people that i need to get the o.k. from to do the race; usually this would consist of city people. set the date. maybe get support, endorsements and such. print up flyers/websites. legal stuff. entry fees...so forth and so on.

if all goes well, the race would be a success. and do it again next year. and it would grow in popularity, and i would still do it. simply. this would be grassroots.

now let's it became so big that a corporate sponsor wanted to buy the rights to it. let's say...trek (since we all are familiar with them as a bike company), and they took it to a mass marketed type of thing. tv. ads in world wide magazines. pretty lights. to the point where it becomes more of a show than a race. this would not be grassroots.

however; this is the word i'm hearing being thrown about at the dnc...it's grassroots. no it's not. it's in a freaking stadium. nationally televised. it seems to me more romanist (visions of caesar flash through my mind). more of a show than a grassroots presentation. entertainment over the issue/argument/future of my country.

i haven't heard one thing why i should vote for obama...other than he's not mccain. fuck i could run on that platform.

it has been my experience in life, when the show becomes bigger than the event...there isn't much to the event. it's like going to a magic show. what happens? they distract you from what they are doing to give you some sort of awe of what's going on. but when you really look at it...the magic is gone.

what's sad...people are falling for it. the show...

amitabha...