Jim Hightower to speak at Common Ground Conference Nov. 3-5

Jim Hightower to speak at Common Ground Conference Nov. 3-5
October 2000

Following on the heels of last year's conference on "Corporate Domination," the Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice's Common Ground Conference this year is on "Media Madness: How the Media Impedes Democracy (and what are we gonna do about it?)" The conference is at Rollins College in Winter Park, near Orlando.

The keynote speaker will be a person well acquainted with the topic and actively working to counter it: author and radio host Jim Hightower. This quick-witted Texan, whose new book is entitled If the Gods Had Meant Us to Vote They'd Have Given us Candidates, has for decades used his insider knowledge of the workings of goverment (he's a former Texas Agriculture Commissioner) and his irrascible with and solidarity with working people to be a strong figure on the populist side who can make us laugh and call us to action.

This seventh annual conference by the Florida Coalition for Peace and Justice will be at Rollins College in Winter Park, November 3-5. The flier for the conference underscores the theme of the conference this way: "We've all been disgusted at the useless drivel that diguises itself as news these days. We've longed for accurate information on the important issues. We've seen the media ignore tens of thousands of citizen activsts who've taken our messages to the strees of Seattle, D.C., Philadelphia and to the School of Americas. We've grown up on the corporate propaganda that promotes our society's obsession with instant gratification through alcohol, tobacco, sex and shopping... We're plenty sick and tired of it, so what are we going to do about it? Join us at Common Ground VII for workshops and discussions on ending this corporate assault. Let's claim our right to speak, hear, and participate."

Conference registration is a sliding scale, $35-$100. For more information on the conference, call 352 468-3295 or email fcpj@juno.com . There will be a special reception and book-signing for Jim Hightower on Friday night.