Determine reasonable short term goals, think long and hard about long term objectives. The group needs to be fair to its constituents, however, leadership should be taken by a small and strong core team to minimize disputes and other bureaucratic wastes of life. Integrity of the leaders are tantamount. The smaller the core team the better.

Find a champion; a lawmaker, a publicly visible spokesperson, who will gain the support from the private lobbying group. There needs to be vested interest for this champion in seeing this project succeed. He/She only needs to be the public figure of this movement, but definitely an important piece whose allegiance needs to be at all times monitored. The duties will be to advocate the cause and to constantly pop in “reminders” both in parliament but as well in the general populace to raise awareness and interest.

Allies are essential. They may be friends of the champion, fence-sitters or opponents that will join the cause. They can be other organizations having their own agenda (e.g. other S.A.F.E. vendors) or other voices that have a say in parliament or public opinion. One of the champion’s role will as well be to sell the ideas to potential allies.

Public opinion can be very powerful but it may as well be very fickle, seeking for instant gratification. Most of the weight of the lobby would be to use events in public relations very carefully and in an opportunistic manner, however, hunger strikes may be a bit lacking for a lasting effect.

This is a very hand-wavy and high-level attempt to formulate my opinion. However, I hope it makes the point that for the revolution to be successful, it needs to be meticulously planned and orchestrated.

You say: “Instead of pouting and complaining, the way to get things going is to act, so act NOW!”

Right!, that’s what we are trying to do, finding ways to act now…So instead of just telling us to act, you can also come forward with ways to act! Strike is just an option among many others, so I guess you can propose some

If it were so effective, hunger strikes would move mountains. What counts is voting for people that make sensible legislations, set up lobbying organizations which could comprise of parties with vested interest and so on.

Instead of pouting and complaining, the way to get things going is to act, so act NOW!