(no subject)
Sep. 11th, 2006 07:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
vivienI've read everyone else's remembrances and thoughts, but I find mine on this day are a little different. It's not that I think there's anything wrong with writing what you need to in order to process your feelings, I just- I guess I just get angry about what happened, and then what didn't happen, five years ago.
I feel like the country as a whole has been paralyzed by apathy a lot of the time. I include myself in this. After being outraged and upset over what happened on 9/11, I watched as if from afar as civil liberties eroded with hardly any notice. I watched as an administration that disagree with in many ways get voted in yet again. I vote, but do I write my representatives as I swear I'm going to do to make my voice heard about issues stemming from 9/11 (or about any issue, really)? No. Have I blamed a busy schedule for not doing so like everyone else does? Yes. (And if you are politically active, oh LJ friend, then this rant is not for you)
After Hurricane Katrina, which in my opinion had far more devastating and longer lasting effects in many ways than 9/11, I thought, ah, finally. Something drastic enough to pull us all together and force us to pay attention to some pretty basic, ugly situations in our country. We've passed that first anniversary, and what has changed? How many representatives did I write about issues involving pre- and post-Katrina injustice? How many did you write?
How much time did I spend reading, goofing about online, or watching TV in the past five years? Lots. How many did I spend to look up my representatives' email addresses and send an email with my opinions? Zero minutes. This makes me angry at myself, because I am quite fond of this country. It is an incredible nation full of incredible people, for all the flaws. 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina (and the OKC Bombing and Columbine and on and on because it just never stops) opened our eyes for a little while, and then we closed them again.
So while it's nice and easy to read about remembrances and to reflect, and I am in no way putting down those who have, nor am I negating the effect of 9/11 on the families of the victims, I guess I feel more like reading about busy people like me making an effort to change the things we can change. We can't prevent hurricanes, nor can we as normal people do much about preventing terrorist attacks, but we can stand up and make our voices heard for the beliefs that make our country great.
I think about the civil rights activists in the '60's who were murdered trying to bring democracy to people of color. They died to make our country a better place. And then I look at myself, who couldn't be arsed to look up my state representative till tonight, when I was so upset by the current political climate that I couldn't stand it anymore. It's an unsettling comparison.
So, I am making a promise to myself to start writing my representatives. I want you to write, too, about whatever issues you feel are important. These people are an email away, and their job is to represent you. If they don't, then we can vote them out of that job. (Those friends of mine who aren't in America, google for the sites that are relevant to you. We all have some kind of government by representative.)
This link gives you a way to locate your state representative.
Look up your Congressperson at the US House of Representatives - it includes handy email links.
Your US Senator can be found here, but you have to look for the email addy a little.
This contains handy advice on how to write those emails to your reps
Project Vote Smart has some great features on what exactly is being voted on so you know what to voice an opinion about.
If you're not registered to vote, I shall come to your house with nostrils flaring and drive you to an appropriate place of registration. Okay, if you are far away, I might not, but I will nag at you.
Don't save this for later. Go to these sites now and bookmark them in a place you will look again. Or write an email now. About whatever you want. Get some practice for when you really feel passionate about an issue.
Watching "The Daily Show" and preaching to the converted in LJ posts isn't going to cut it.
I know I often feel like mine is a tiny, lone, and insignificant voice, but if we got enough of our tiny, lone, and insignificant voices together, we could make some great noise.
Sorry I'm so ranty. I'm just tired of watching and feeling sad and helpless.
/rant
I feel like the country as a whole has been paralyzed by apathy a lot of the time. I include myself in this. After being outraged and upset over what happened on 9/11, I watched as if from afar as civil liberties eroded with hardly any notice. I watched as an administration that disagree with in many ways get voted in yet again. I vote, but do I write my representatives as I swear I'm going to do to make my voice heard about issues stemming from 9/11 (or about any issue, really)? No. Have I blamed a busy schedule for not doing so like everyone else does? Yes. (And if you are politically active, oh LJ friend, then this rant is not for you)
After Hurricane Katrina, which in my opinion had far more devastating and longer lasting effects in many ways than 9/11, I thought, ah, finally. Something drastic enough to pull us all together and force us to pay attention to some pretty basic, ugly situations in our country. We've passed that first anniversary, and what has changed? How many representatives did I write about issues involving pre- and post-Katrina injustice? How many did you write?
How much time did I spend reading, goofing about online, or watching TV in the past five years? Lots. How many did I spend to look up my representatives' email addresses and send an email with my opinions? Zero minutes. This makes me angry at myself, because I am quite fond of this country. It is an incredible nation full of incredible people, for all the flaws. 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina (and the OKC Bombing and Columbine and on and on because it just never stops) opened our eyes for a little while, and then we closed them again.
So while it's nice and easy to read about remembrances and to reflect, and I am in no way putting down those who have, nor am I negating the effect of 9/11 on the families of the victims, I guess I feel more like reading about busy people like me making an effort to change the things we can change. We can't prevent hurricanes, nor can we as normal people do much about preventing terrorist attacks, but we can stand up and make our voices heard for the beliefs that make our country great.
I think about the civil rights activists in the '60's who were murdered trying to bring democracy to people of color. They died to make our country a better place. And then I look at myself, who couldn't be arsed to look up my state representative till tonight, when I was so upset by the current political climate that I couldn't stand it anymore. It's an unsettling comparison.
So, I am making a promise to myself to start writing my representatives. I want you to write, too, about whatever issues you feel are important. These people are an email away, and their job is to represent you. If they don't, then we can vote them out of that job. (Those friends of mine who aren't in America, google for the sites that are relevant to you. We all have some kind of government by representative.)
This link gives you a way to locate your state representative.
Look up your Congressperson at the US House of Representatives - it includes handy email links.
Your US Senator can be found here, but you have to look for the email addy a little.
This contains handy advice on how to write those emails to your reps
Project Vote Smart has some great features on what exactly is being voted on so you know what to voice an opinion about.
If you're not registered to vote, I shall come to your house with nostrils flaring and drive you to an appropriate place of registration. Okay, if you are far away, I might not, but I will nag at you.
Don't save this for later. Go to these sites now and bookmark them in a place you will look again. Or write an email now. About whatever you want. Get some practice for when you really feel passionate about an issue.
Watching "The Daily Show" and preaching to the converted in LJ posts isn't going to cut it.
I know I often feel like mine is a tiny, lone, and insignificant voice, but if we got enough of our tiny, lone, and insignificant voices together, we could make some great noise.
Sorry I'm so ranty. I'm just tired of watching and feeling sad and helpless.
/rant
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no subject
Date: 2006-09-12 02:11 am (UTC)Having trouble finding a candidate to support?
Give your local election board a phone call and see if they're hiring for Poll Officers. Chances are good that they're short staffed.
Yes, for the bargain price of a 14 hour day you can not only be involved in the political process, but you can make sure that everyone in your particular ward and precinct has their right to vote protected.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-12 02:37 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2006-09-12 02:40 am (UTC)One of these days I'll get me one of them there five star badges.
And since no one votes unless it's a presidential election, this year I will spend the better part of my day drinking coffee, knitting, and drawing up a schematic of St. Mungo's.
no subject
Date: 2006-09-12 03:04 am (UTC)Welcome to the wonderful world of political activism.
I speak only from experience in writing Canadian representatives and (when I was much younger, a tiny bit of behind the scenes work).
(1) Write, but not too often and not on too many different issues. Too often they will start to ignore you; too broad and you'll quickly be painted a chronic complainer. Pick an issue or two or three. Read up on it/them.
(2) Look for bills coming before committee or to the floor, or major speeches and write with enough time for them to consider your words if a decision needs to be made. This has two main effects, they get the idea you are watching what's happening and (occasionally) you get the ability to sway them at a crucial time.
(3) Be polite. Strident and dogged if you have to, passionate if you can, but always be polite, even if you don't like the party or the rep or what they are doing. The end goal is getting your way and that's better done with honey than vinegar.
(4) Unless time is of the essence. Wait before sending, and read it over the next day. Do you still feel it 24 hours later? Spell-checking and grammar checking also help.
(5) Unless time is of the essence don't use form letters. Write your own words, why the issue is important to you. Form letters might get collected for dramatic effect (you can lump petitions in this too), but they aren't taken as seriously as someone who sits down and writes their own words, particularly if you're trying to get the rep to change their mind. They can ignore a form letter, they might have read the same one dozens of times that day, but its harder to ignore words you have to read.
(6) If you voted for them, mention it. You carry a lot more weight with them this way, you are their base.
Expect a response in anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Some will only acknowledge that they have received your letter and your views will be given consideration. (My letters to the Ministry of Finance usually get this treatment.) Others will respond in detail, often, surprisingly if they disagree. (This is somewhat typical of my MP, where she and I disagree, I seem to get the longest, most detailed response.)
no subject
Date: 2006-09-13 02:47 am (UTC)