Those that chose the lifestyle of seeking social change through community activism know that these are causes that require real courage to pursue.

One would think that all would see the value of real social progress that can be achieved if more would band together to become activists for that cause.

But there are real forces in high places that are adamantly and violently against that kind of social progress.

The reason for that resistance is that energizing the population for social progress means empowering individuals.

It means strengthening the core freedoms that have been the bedrock of American life for centuries.

But there are highly placed agencies and individuals who have been at work for decades to devalue the freedoms of Americans and introduce a virtual Big Brother culture.

These forces are powerful, well funded and able to invest resources for a long battle to introduce social control and surveillance to American life.

SANDRA CISNEROS - COMMUNITY ACTIVISM

ACTIVISM AND THE BATTLE FOR FREEDOM.

These agencies work in secret and capitalize on tragedy and fear to convince Americans to give up their freedoms in favor of safety and security.

The most potent tool of such agencies and individuals is propaganda.

That is why much of the battle against social progress is done in the media.

The telltale signs of those who would shut down free speech and force Americans onto a diet of constant propaganda is the cry that the mainstream media is evil and unpatriotic.

That claim has been made openly of late showing that the forces that would defraud Americans of their freedoms are becoming bolder.

That fact should be enough to empower anyone who would use social change through community activism to work even harder to preserve the freedoms the founding fathers intended Americans to have.

THE TOOLS OF ACTIVISM

A big part of empowering community activism to prevail in any goals that are immediate is through strong publicity so more inactive activists become active ones.

The tools any good community activist uses include some strong planning skills, the ability to motivate people, the creativity to think outside the box and a dogged determination to not be beaten. A good familiarity with cyberspace is also a great benefit to any modern activist.

The successes in environmental and social activism in the last decade can be attributed at least in part to the power of the internet to create a network of like minded citizens bent on social change.

If anything, the blogosphere and social networks have created another world where free speech can flourish and the right to assembly takes on new meaning.

The good news is there are mentors to follow in learning how to empower social change through community activism using every tool available. The future does not mean that activists will become less ambitious, less technologically savvy or less creative in learning new ways to campaign for the change that is needed.

Indeed, the fact that activists are traditionally fast on their feet and able to capitalize on new tools and methods for empowering social change through community activism is encouraging.

The enemies of the freedom of Americans that are in high places in American political and economic systems have strong alliances, the devotion of powerful men and woman and unlimited capital to bring to bear.

But even that impressive arsenal cannot defeat the will of the people to preserve the freedoms that the founding fathers wanted Americans to have.