Advocate for your cause and what is right.

Notes taken from a speech by Bruce Vincent, logging company owner and activist in forest management, National FFA Alumni Convention, October 2010

• Ask, “What do you want to know about the topic?”
• Don’t conflict if it is not needed.
• Lead the discussion – the enemy is ignorance
• Tell them the truth.
• Democracy works but it is not a spectator sport. When people lead, leaders follow. We can have both.
• The world is run by those who show up.
• Have a vision, provide a potential answer, hear what is right.
• Activist are simply those equipped to provide accurate information about topics they believe to be right.

(Bruce’s background in the family logging business came from watching Montana lose over 60% of their logging businesses in less than 50 years. All that product is now imported and the natural forest succession plans are weakened.)

Advocacy is getting a line item to protect your business interest and investing 1 hour/week toward advocacy.