I had read about the collaboration of AFL CIO and Move On in making GOTV (Get Out the Vote) efforts and rejoiced in the news. Today I got a volunteer recruitment call to make calls at weekend phone banks. I am already actively organizing in our county where we have daily phone banks (sometimes two a day) so I could not jump into that effort.
I asked where the caller was from and we exchanged a few pleasantries. He volunteered that already more than 100 thousand phone calls have been made. I thanked him profusely and he said that he liked just talking to someone who cared in the way he did, another Democrat, for we found we were both in deeply red counties.
I struggle to find a way to express the kinship I feel with fellow volunteers and supporters but particularly volunteers. The knowledge that someone else has taken time out from their lives, contributed time as well as money, fills my spirit up.
In the midst of all the dissembling and bullying that the GOP has decided to give in to is a movement of appreciation, inclusion, and collaboration that is like nothing I have ever experienced in trying to elect our Democratic candidates.
I have been working pretty much non stop since July of 2008 as an organizer in OFA and the people I have been able to work along side are amazing. However, at this point I feel a network of organizations forming including our own that just goes beyond my wildest imaginings.
I hope many people will take the risk to get involved directly, to volunteer with whatever group they feel most comfortable, labor, Move On, Dem party local, state and national campaigns, civil rights groups, constituency groups, faith based groups, environmental activists. Our Community (big C) is organizing and its absolutely breathtaking to be a part of.