A lot of diaries have talked about being a delegate to CA Democratic Party. Some have even talked about winning. This diary is about how one can lose and not be a big deal. If you are not interested in hearing my own story, then let me just cut to the chase - just because you are not a CA delegate, that does not mean you have to give up.
Keep fighting and try again. One day, the CA Democratic party will catch up to YOU and your ideas will be recognized by your peers. Until then, do the work Howard Dean asked us to do - be the grassroots activists that connect to our neighbors and friends and turn out Dems locally, at the State and National levels
I went to my AD meeting today...we had a lot of people show up to vote. I think there were over 50. The number of men vying for a delegate position were over 15. I looked at the list of candidates and I knew that there was no way I was going to make it - too many people had WAY too much experience with the Democratic Party. Maybe I could get lucky with a great one minute speech (in reality, not so good), but no way a young newcomer like me would become a delegate - I ended up and getting about 15 votes.
Know what? Doesn't matter! Why not? Because I tried and I tried because I care (all the people who won were WAY more liberal than me and I know a lot of them) and trying is what matters. I care enough about the party in my state that I would spend over three hours on a Sunday and try for a mostly ceremonial position in the CA Democratic Party. I am not knocoking the people who want to be there, I am just saying as a delegate, one does not do a lot - it is what you make it. It is important that you get involved and participate. I did not win this time, but know what? Not that important, because next time, the party will look a little bit more like me because I got involved and brought more people to the caucus.
I love this country and I really believe in its ideals - all men and women are created equal and each person can have an impact. I just could not sit back and not get involved. If we care each of us have an OBLIGATION to try and make things better. Sometimes we win (thank God the Dems won in Nov, 2006) and sometimes we lose. Either outcome, we have to keep trying and keeping knocking on those doors. As long as we have our freedom of speech and our freedom to organize, we have to try and convince our neighbors are friends. To give up means we do not care anymore.
So until then, I will continue with the 50 state strategy and work to elect Democrats in my town and get ready for 2008. Without me and my work (multiplied by THOUSANDS of other across the state and country), the Dems will not win. Maybe next time, I will get a few more votes...