September 14, 2006

• DO SOMETHING

  Wow. Keith Ellison is national news. He is a big deal.

  If
  elected, he will be the first Muslim ever to be elected to congress. If
  elected, he will be the first black Minnesota has ever sent to
  Washington. The nation is watching. The Republicans and conservative
  Democrats are raising spectres of the Nation of Islam to scare voters.
  The progressives are making comparisons with Paul Wellstone.

  The
  man is more than just a wide eyed progressive. He’s proven himself. He
  served in a Republican congress and proved that he could get
  legislation passed anyway. He can form coalitions across divides that
  others would see as uncrossable.

  But, sending him to Washington
  and hoping for the best is going to accomplish squat. This was well
  explained on a city issues list posting by Jordan Kushner:

  > And then finally, I agree that a new coalition has emerged.
  > How will it shape local political life and for how long?

  JSK
  - That is up to us. We need to find ways to keep this coalition
  together and get it to work for other candidates and more importantly,
  causes. The biggest trap of having a successful progressive electoral
  campaign is to assume that electing the candidate is all that is
  needed. Obviously, no one candidate can make or sustain a movement. The
  most frustrating aspect of Wellstone’s candidacy (his 1990 election was
  the last time I actually hit the streets for a DFL candidate) was
  treatment of his election as the final progressive accomplishment.
  There was no understanding that one Congressperson/Senator could never
  make meaningful change by himself. Keith Ellison will make a valiant
  effort, but his efforts will not be any more than symbolism unless he
  is backed (and held accountable) by ongoing movements working on
  serious demands for change

  I said the nation is watching.
  It isn’t just the nation. It is the world. How American treats this
  election cycle will determine much about how the next few years are
  going to go and how the world is going to regard us. NOW is the time
  for those who care about human dignity and environmental responsibility
  to make a difference. NOW is the time to point at the wreckage that we
  are standing in and say it is time to be a difference. NOW is when
  there is actually a chance to start turning the tide. NOW is the time
  to break through our nation’s pathological civic apathy.

  DO
  something. I don’t really care what. Pick one thing that matters to you
  that can be worked on this election cycle and do something.

  Me?
  I’m planning on trying to get the IRV initiative passed in Minneapolis.
  I’m giving money here and there on other things and will be doing a
  thing or two, but IRV is going to be my focus.

  What’s yours?
  Equal treatment for people based on race, gender, religion or sexual
  orientation? Environmentalism? Energy independence? Education reform?
  Bringing the troops home? Opposing the drug war? There are groups
  working on all of these, candidates to help, people to call, letters to
  write, emails to send, facts to learn and inform people on (do not
  underestimate the importance of this last point).

  Heck, some of
  you might want to support war with Iran, legislate that everyone needs
  to drive an SUV at least 30 miles a day, lock up all drug users, and
  brand gays and non-christians. If you really think that will make the
  world better, then do something. I’ll disagree with you and actively
  oppose you, but it is better than being part of the civic apathy that
  defines our society. It is better to have the discussions and arguments
  than it is to simply allow the elite few to direct everything.

  It
  is so easy to get overwhelmed. So don’t. Just pick one thing. Just give
  a few hours a month to it. You might find yourself doing more, but
  don’t feel guilty if you don’t. Just do something – it is so much
  better than nothing.

  It might not be ballot or election related.
  That’s cool. Hell, that’s more than cool, that’s really important. So
  many people figure “I voted, I did my part”. Voting is such a small
  part of what is needed. Without massive public support (and a show of
  that support), elected officials trying to change things will get NO
  traction.

  If you don’t think we live in the best of all possible worlds, do something to help us get there from here.
  

  ---

  And now, for something completely different:

  Robotic Frisbees of Death
  http://www.defensetech.org/archives/002723.html

  • 5:31 pm
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