Dear Kossaks, I just wanted to thank all of you for the kind words that were floated my way as you warmly welcomed me into your community a few months back, even with me being an ideological outsider. I will fully admit that in the past I was quite the opposite of a progressive with most of my ideals, and I have certainly never been politically active, but since being inspired by Sen. Barack Obama a little over a year ago, both of those things have changed – and my views have steadily been shifting away from what I used to hold true.
My shift towards progressive ideas is a tribute to not only Sen. Obama, but also to The Daily Kos. The misconceptions that I have had about what it means to be a progressive have steadily been unfettered through the well thought out and eye-opening diaries and discussions that I find daily in this community. This has been a place where I found that I could always come to lift my spirits during the most frustrating of times during this election cycle.
So, I must apologize in advance for what I am about to say.
For many of my fellow Kossaks here, it is time to lose the arrogance and overconfidence. This election is not going to be a goddamned cakewalk for the Democratic party this year. Put away the rose colored glasses and open up your eyes to the reality before you. The Republican party and its political machine, neocon architects, and lobbyists that hold an uncomfortable and inexcusable amount of influence and power are not going to roll over and wither away. Wake up! There is way too much at stake here, not just for us socially, but for the stability of our nation economically and for our standing, dignity, and respect in the world.
With all due respect to Kos and the great administrators of this community, those of us who come here for fellowship with like minded progressives and good discussion need to start spending constructive time helping to get Sen. Obama elected. We need to get out of our comfort zone now. Right now. If this change is going to happen, it is going to be because of us and not because it makes sense that it should happen. Enough with the talking about it.
By every rational measure, this should very easily be an election where the party in power is summarily removed, but those of you here in this community that think this will be the case are very sadly mistaken. Some here do get it and realize just how tough it is going to be, but far too many others do not, and this worries the hell out of me.
I am sure I’m not the first one here to try to express this, and whoever did before me likely did it with a much more thoughtful and compelling case than I am doing right now, but I had to at least state my case.
So here is where we can start:
-- Contact the Obama campaign and volunteer in neighborhoods around you to get people registered to vote. Even me, a registered Republican went out on a Saturday on behalf of Obama’s campaign and got 17 people registered to vote. I was very much surprised at the enthusiasm for change that some people didn’t even realize they have had.
-- If you live in a state where Sen. Obama is heavily favored to win in November, then grab your cell phone and make some calls to other states that need help. In Indiana, we had three such calls made to my house leading up the primary. Imagine what we can do in November.
-- If you are able to, donate some money to Sen. Obama’s campaign or the DNC, or even good causes such as MoveOn.org, or Democracy Now.
-- If you like to sit at home with your laptop in front of the TV, then go out to some of the news message boards and provide educated and respectful discussion about the real issues of this election and about our concern with what the party in power has offered up this time around. Most of all, avoid the scandalous talk and stick to the issues, which should favor us.
-- If you prefer to do these things in person, then find the right opportunities at work, your neighborhood, or wherever you are to have thought provoking discussions. Express why you feel the way that you do with good reasoning.
Etc, etc, etc.
The point is that it is of the utmost urgency that we take action seriously. We must all do it, and do it now. And I mean right now.
If you agree with me, then please recommend this diary.
--Allenfire