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.