EdgyBear operates as a grassroots community of active progressives. The community is both virtual (on-line) and real-world (off-line).

Our ideas and opinions are edgy because they're ahead of the mainstream and we often speak boldly.

Our home base is in the beautiful Great Smoky Mountains, where seeing live bears is common. We love bears, and when we feel outraged—which is often—we growl, just like an angry bear.

We're eager to help bring meaningful social improvement and provoke real political change—both worldwide and in our home country, the United States.

Humanity is destroying our planet, exploiting global inequalities, violating human rights, stretching the gap between have's and have-not's, and failing to nurture the best spirit of humankind.

We hope to make a small contribution towards bringing positive progressive change. We're acting locally, thinking globally, and welcoming everybody in-between.

Politically, we lean progressive left, but we are not affiliated with—nor highly impressed by—any specific poilitical party.

When edgybear.com covers factual information (such as Who Stands for What?), we make a sincere, good-faith effort to be accurate, complete, and fair-minded towards all sides. On the other hand, when we express our own strong opinions—which is most of the time—we take a firm stand and dare to speak the truth as we see it.

We work and live by a clear Declaration of Progressive Values, adapted from a declaration of values developed on December 11, 2004 by the Sevier County Democrats of Tennessee. These values are grounded in respect for others and faith in a healthy democracy based on core progressive values.

By these values, we expect a responsible government to:

• faithfully protect and enrich the lives of all its citizens;
• preserve and protect our natural environment;
• inspire--not terrorize--its own people;
• tell the truth, openly and honestly;
• stay fiscally responsible;
• obey its own laws;
• foster a just and peaceful international community based on human rights, democratic principles, and international justice.

Our Declaration of Progressive Values states explicitly:

1. We are loyal patriots who love America.
2. We gladly serve our community, state, and nation.
3. We fight to protect the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

WE BELIEVE THAT:


4. No one is free until everyone is free.
5. Good citizenship is an everyday duty.
6. Real democracy is open, not hidden in secrets.
7. America spreads its values best by moral example.
8. Legitimate government is of, by, and for the people.
9. God gave humanity science to reveal the wonders of the universe.
10. Great nations care for the vulnerable and disadvantaged.
11. Our environment must be saved for all generations.
12. By separating church and state, we protect both.
13. America's greatness is the right to be different.

Honestly, we got tired of watching self-serving politicians on the right who successfully--but cynically, weakly, and destructively--used wedge issues (like gay marriage), phony slander (like the Swift Boaters), and propaganda bloviation (like Limbaugh) to spread venom and sidetrack the major, serious, real issues now facing the people of the United States and world.

So, we worked hard to pinpoint and focus on the key issues and choices that--if sincerely addressed--could help fulfill the promise of a progressive society.

The 12 Progressive Issues are:

1. Saving Plant Earth
2. Peace and War
3. Global Living Conditions
4. Human Rights
5. Economic Justice
6. Opportunity for All
7. International Balance
8. Democratic Reform
9. Universal Health Care
10. Lifetime Education
11. Energy Freedom
12. Fiscal Responsibility

The EdgyBear Community is a group of like-minded people who work for social and political change based on progressive values. On-line, they share views, bounce ideas around, and help keep each other well-informed. Off-line, they work with passion in the "real" world, taking meaningful action to help bring positive change.

You are already part of the EdgyBear Community, just by being here. Soon, you'll be able to join the community officially, and gain the opportunity to post comments on the EdgyBear Blog. There will be no cost.

We welcome anyone who wishes to just read our website and enjoy its content. That is the first of three levels of participation. You choose the one that's best for you.

• Visitor:  A Visitor is anyone who visits and reads the EdgyBear website. That's it. There is no password, no sign-in, no personal information required, and no cost. Just show up. You can read the site as you wish and do nothing more. The only requirement is that, by using this site, you are implicitly agreeing to our Terms of Service.


• Member:  A Member is someone who joins the EdgyBear Community. There is no cost, and the only information required is your name and email address. As a Member, you can post ideas and comments on the EdgyBear Blog, plus other benefits. If you'd like information about joining EdgyBear as a Member, please send an email request to community@edgybear.com.
  
  
• Supporter:  A Supporter prefers to work more actively for positive change, both on-line and in the real (off-line) world. Supporters in the EdgyBear network may receive special information, action alerts, or notices about local events. There is no cost to be a Supporter. A Supporter just provides a little more information (like zip or postal code), so that any information sent is most relevant to your community. For more information about becoming an EdgyBear Supporter, please send a request to community@edgybear.com.
  

We are blessed to have clear-minded, usually-articulate, sometimes-even-eloquent Contributors who speak up regularly and growl their edgy viewpoints here. For more about them, see Contributors.

From time to time, we also invite others who have strong voices and good ideas—regardless of their politics—to publish a guest column, add a commentary, or allow us to reprint a high-value piece from elsewhere.

Anyone who joins the Edgybear Community (it's free) will also be invited to contribute by posting on the EdgyBear Blog [COMING SOON].

Finally, anyone (member or not) who visits EdgyBear is invited to give feedback, report news, share updates, and spot glitches. For those email addresses, see: Contact EdgyBear.

We work hard, daily, to make EdgyBear a comfortable, honest gathering place where you can kick back, show your authentic self, learn, share, and expect a good time.

We do have some Rules--some for ourselves (like on protecting your Privacy and committing to get our facts straight) and some for visitors, members, and supporters (like about protecting our Copyright and posting on the EdgyBear Blog).

By using this site, you have agreed implicitly to abide by our Terms of Service. For full information, see Using This Site.

Privacy Policy:  Yes, we hate spam as much as you do. We will not sell or share your contact information with any outside group or third party without your knowledge and permission. So, you don't need to worry that—if you join EdgyBear—you'll suddenly get a flurry of new annoying, unwanted emails offering to make you rich from Nigeria, help you find your missing high school sweetheart, or increase the size of vital body parts. Your information stays in the family. We honor and respect your privacy.