GTCO-ATL Members Named TIME's "Person of the Year"

THAT'S RIGHT --- YOU ARE TIME MAGAZINE'S 2011 PERSON OF THE YEAR!

(click headline for the full story)
Every year, Time Magaizine looks at the political, social and economic landscape of our planet.  They review all the people who have made headlines and those who have made an impact to positively influence or change the world.

And, this year, the "Person of the Year" is ...

        "The Protester"

Congratulate yourself right now . . .  because if you have followed Get the Cell Out - Atlanta, contributed to the opposition of cell towers in DeKalb County, voted "No" on SPLOST IV, signed a petition, spoke out at a school board meeting, called your county commissioners, contacted the DeKalb County Office of Planning & Sustainability or the county CEO, written a letter or sent an email to our state legislators or Georgia Board of Education, contacted the media, written a blog, attended a public meeting, put a sign in your yard or even just discussed the cell tower factor with others in an effort to share what you know or learn more for yourself, we think you can consider yourself to be an active member of the Get the Cell Out - Atlanta Chapter protest.  And, as an active protester who is concerned about our schools, our communities and our future - you can also start telling people that YOU are the TIME Magazine "Person of the Year."

YOU are the TIME Magazine "Person of the Month."  You are part of something BIG, somethiing that is GROWING and something that we hope will be a contributing factor to positive change for all of the residents and visitors of DeKalb County.

Our mission:  Demand Ethics, Transparency and Accountability from our leaders.

Our goal:  To unite the county in the opposition of cell towers and other radiation hazards that are dangerous, may pose an increased health risk and decrease the value of our homes. 

Here is a brief excerpt from this issue of TIME:

Is there a global tipping point for frustration? Everywhere, it seems, people said they'd had enough. They dissented; they demanded; they did not despair, even when the answers came back in a cloud of tear gas or a hail of bullets. They literally embodied the idea that individual action can bring collective, colossal change.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101745_2102139_2102380,00.html #ixzz1gWiweK5y

"The 2011 Person of the Year issue is the product of a year's worth of reporting and thinking," said TIME editor Richard Stengel.  "From the beginning of the Arab Spring, we dedicated an abundance of resources to this world-historical story. We also watched as the germ of protest spread to Europe and then America and now Russia." 

Stenegel and vetern essayist and novelist Kurt Andersen visited Egypt and Tunisia to trace this revolution to its roots.  Anderson then wrote the impactful commemorative piece that explains the connections and the larger meaning of a world experiencing simultaneous protests in dozens of countries.

Chelsea Elliot, 25, from New York was profiled in the article for her role as an early protester in the Occupy Wallstreet movement.  When asked what she wanted people to know about the movement, she said, "I feel this is an amazing time to be alive in America — at this point we actually have the opportunity for change, in this moment of destruction. So I feel like there's a great chance to rebuild and I hope people get involved and realize that our economy is not the way that it is because of a change in wind, it's because of wrongdoing on our government and very powerful businessmen's part."

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2101745_2102138_2102242,00.html #ixzz1gXnyfKYD

On the homefront, Get the Cell Out - Atlanta Chapter, is a classic example of the unrest that is being felt throughout our country.  Our message started out small and has just continued to grow.  We had no idea what other peoople thought about this topic when we started or whether they would even open the door when we knocked on it with our petition in hand.  But, as time goes by, we have been encouraged and energized by the growing realization that the message is getting through, people are really paying attention and, as we had suspected, they are mad!  Regardless if they have children who attend one of the proposed cell tower schools, or if they live nearby, there are now more than 1,000 people who have listened or read about this issue online and they have been able to weed through the industry garbage to get toi the truth.  Some have felt moved enough to take action themselves. 

To bring about real change, it will take the ongoing effort of every peson who has educated themselves about this issue to make a committment to introduce others to the subject matter so that they can also become educated about it, too. 

It's a lot more difficult to change public policy if you have not been able to change public opinion.  Just like it is a lot more difficult to have a cell tower taken down than it is to stop one from going up!  We are not saying hat it can't be done, but the more we speak out now, and the more dedicated we can become to seeking the truth rather than accepting the lies, the more hardship we may be saving ourselvs or our children in the future.

Congratulations to protesters everywhere! 
YOU are changing the world!

Keep up the great work and remember that T-mobile doesn't look to put towers in communities that will stand together, speak out and then work to warn others --  they put towers in places where they think no one cares!  If you care, do something about it!