SPECIAL NOTE FOR BERKELEY REP, Danny Hoch et al. (6/13/10): To save some heartbeats, just scroll down to where you’ll find the names of Henry Giroux, Devinder Sharma and Marie Trigona in clickable hot links. Below that are the major national and international supporters of TOSCA.

NOTE ADDED JUNE 3, 2010 SPECIFICALLY FOR THE FREE GAZA AND BDS PEOPLE I CONTACTED: Just scroll down to where you see the imprimaturs (in red links) for Henry Giroux (Canada), Devinder Sharma (India) and Marie Trigona (Argentina). That will cut to the chase for you. You do not have to concern yourself with all the BLAH BLAH that’s here… which was written for others.

Note: SCROLL DOWN TO WHERE THERE ARE SEVERAL NAMES IN RED HOT LINKS IF YOU HAVE ONLY COME HERE TO SEE THE LIST OF TOSCA ENDORSERS OR IF YOU ARE CONNECTED WITH THE L.A. MUSIC SCENE, ECHOES OF AFRICA OR SERENDIPITY PROJECT. In the P.S., the Otis Reading link to TOSCA’s concept of Ecstatic Politics might be of interest to people in music. The Planet Green interview is probably obligatory. This is an archived site. Everything is quite dated except specific articles which the author has recommended in March and April, 2010. Special May 14 update:With the help of those who attended the St. Andrew’s Church presentation last night, I may have a shot at getting George Carlo and Devra Davis and Michael Neuert (whose names were invoked by Melissa last night) on board as part of our gubernatorial coalition. [Melissa's ability to help citizens self-educate shouldn't be confined to piecemeal presentations in rooms of 45 souls. If she doesn't want to be in the spotlight, however, people like Carlo or Davis can turn the trick. Ultimately, I am asking readers to get behind the thrust of that, to help make that necessary revolution possible.]

Transforming Our State of California (TOSCA): Imprimaturs
Dedicated to overcoming the fact that both major parties in the U.S. are dooming us and all third parties are permanently marginalized. Dedicated to creating historic ripples nationwide, worldwide… before the end of 2010.
by Richard Martin Oxman

The acronym TOSCA started out standing for Taking Over the State of California, and that’s what it still is, an effort to take over the gubernatorial reins in Sacramento, California. For nothing short of that will enable us to adequately address/provide solutions for a host of crucial issues which have unacknowledged deadlines. [Little known fact: Throughout history there has never been a Governor of California with heart, head and soul in a healthy place, and any such governor can transform life in the state virtually overnight... unilaterally.] The revolutionary roots of opera, and the pleasure we associate with Puccini’s work, made TOSCA a decent acronym for us to embrace. We can’t stand career politicians! Our agenda is aimed at radical institutional change.

We intend to proceed legally and nonviolently, but with a great sense of urgency. A somewhat dated delineation of TOSCA is available at Planet Green. The focus there is on environmental matters, but a close reading will reveal that TOSCA is equally concerned with everything from our wars and racism to the arts and health care. Directly below is a select list of our supporters, people who are encouraging us. Links showing the work of our high profile figures worldwide, are available (with contact info) upon request.

The late great Howard Zinn provided us with his imprimatur about a year before his death.

In addition to Howard, some of the others on board with us in solidarity are:

Henry Giroux (Canada), Devinder Sharma (India), Marie Trigona (Argentina), Gustavo Esteva and John Ross (Mexico), Binoy Kampmark (Australia), Nirmal Ghosh (Thailand), Peter Tatchell (U.K.), Jerry Fresia (Italy), Franklin Lamb (Lebanon), Jennifer Loewenstein (Gaza/U.S.), Afshin Rattansi (Iran), Linh Dinh and Dr. Moti Nissani (Patagonia).

In the U.S., there are many activists, educators, journalists, and tireless members of prestigious non-profits (who are not concerned with fund raising) moving in solidarity with us. Please note that we are operating on a zero budget, in large part, to make an important point along our campaign trail.

Michael Parenti, Bill Blum, Derrick Jensen, Paul Street, Dr. Wallace J. Nichols, Cindy Sheehan, Vijay Prashad, Paul Krassner, Greg Moses, Jodie Evans, Bruce Anderson, Ron Jacobs, Dave Lindorff, Keith Harmon Snow, Ronnie Cummins, Mickey Z, Ellen Brown, Glen Ford, Danny Weil, David Yearsley, Michael Stocker, Delaney Bruce, Cathy O’Keefe, Brenda Norrell, Edmund Helminski, Richard Vogel, Missy Beattie, Stephen Lendman, Eric Walberg, Michael Donnelly, Peter McLaren, Ramzy Baroud, Anthony DiMaggio, Stephen Martin, Joseph Nevins, Judith Blau, John Walsh, Doug Deitch and Dr. Bruce E. Levine are some of those on board. Again, the backgrounds of these people, samples of their work, and the institutions and/or organizations with which they are affiliated are available upon request.

These people deserve our applause for their efforts and accomplishments. We intend to honor their life’s work, their association with us.

Blessings in solidarity,
Richard Martin Oxman
1713 Jennifer Drive
in the Vienna Woods of Aptos, California 95003
831-688-8038 at any hour
P.S. We are all about following a new paradigm for change. Obsolete models for action, like voting along traditional lines, must be rejected… for we all have a limited number of heartbeats to devote to transforming our lives in solidarity. As Howard Zinn, said often: If voting could change anything, it would be illegal. The spirit with which we are entering the electoral arena embraces a truly new approach [All third parties generally confront the violence wielded by the two major parties with serious confrontation, usually grounded in indignation and one-up moral posture. TOSCA's point of departure is that opposition cannot rally citizens on that basis at present. Not sufficiently; only 39% of the electorate total showed up last time out for all parties. Rather than butt heads, TOSCA's soul in infused with music, sensuality and comedy, asking citizens to embrace something visceral at first... leading them (later) to reason and emotional discrimination. The Party will be a party initially for one and all. To be elaborated on, upon request.] We need Otis Redding inserted into politics.

I just secured the imprimatur of Florida’s Gary Brumback, a dissident writer who is about to come out with a new book concerned with our disappeared (not disappearing) democracy. Here’s some of what he has to say about political parties (which goes along with our interest in having unaffiliated citizens serving the public):

“If you look for political parties in the U.S. Constitution you won’t find any. Recall that the Framers disdained the very notion, warning that political parties simply invite factionalism and could create all sorts of mischief and civil strife. How prescient they were! The U.S. was governed for over 20 years before the first political parties emerged. What this suggests is that all political parties are constitutionally out of bounds and ought to be eliminated.”