Citizen democracy : political activists in a cynical age / Stephen E. Frantzich.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 211-236) and index.

Introduction : countering the culture of cynicism : keeping the fans in the stands -- 1. Rewriting the Constitution : one man's journey to lend Madison a hand : Gregory Watson -- 2. Do ask, do tell : Howard and Connie Clery, Maureen and Richard Kanka, and Donna Norris -- 3. Taking the bus and driving public policy for us : Rosa Parks -- 4. Being a good sport, or, won't you be on my team? : Bernice Sandler -- 5. Let's just run that one up the flagpole : Gregory Lee (Joey) Johnson -- 6. All dressed down and nowhere to go : a pilot's checklist : Martha McSally -- 7. Citizen.action.org : Shabbir Safdar and Jonah Seiger -- 8. From grief to anger to action : making one MADD : Candy Lightner -- 9. Wouldn't you just love to live here? : Lois Gibbs -- 10. Registering as a protest, or, I'll vote for that : Richard A. Cloward and Frances Fox Piven -- 11. Changing the ecology of politics : introducing a new breed : Brian Trelstad -- 12. A taxing and revolting job : Howard Jarvis -- 13. Power letter writing : women in the military academies : Barbara Brimmer and Valerie Schoen -- 14. The mystery of the smoking gun : Merrell Williams -- 15. Just what the doctor ordered : Dr. Kristin Zarfos -- 16. Unaffirmative action : Carl Cohen -- 17. A hard guy to live with : Jack Kevorkian -- 18. If you can't lick 'em, enjoin 'em : Jean Anne Hlavacek and Diane Sackett Nannery -- 19. Kidizen democracy -- From peer pressure to political pressure : Morgan and Max Lesko -- A monumental dream : the "Scottsdale six" -- NIMBY, not namby-pamby : Kory Johnson -- Resources for Kidizens -- Conclusion : lessons for nascent citizens.