Immediately following NN14, I wrote a quick diary entry - quick because I had to write it while at NN as I needed to race home and make the drive to Emporia to prepare for a local event. That diary, "All in on NN14" Expressed a great deal of how I feel about the event:
http://www.dailykos.com/...
I am glad I made the investment in my community by bringing individuals from Kansas, Missouri and elsewhere to NN. It made a major impact on the way I discuss politics with others.
I may (or may not) make NN15, for reasons I will explain at the end, but before I get there I want to tell you why I view the regional gatherings as a far more important development in the growth of DailyKos.
When I first joined DailyKos, a large majority of the users on this website were either east coast or west coast devotees who had followed out of the Howard Dean movement, were brought in by concerns over the gulf War and were ready for activism.
The site in those days was about broad swipes at the Republicans, occasional flame wars and for a while I wondered if this was the kind of site that would simply 'go away' as it burned itself out.
A funny thing happened along the way. Somewhere in 2005 or 2006, real community started to develop here. We kept talking about the issues but we also talked about our personal lives - who we are, why we came here, and what keeps us interested in politics.
Suddenly, the people we met on DailyKos weren't just userid numbers and odd handles, they became the friends we had not yet met in the real world.
DailyKos members got married. Passed away. Had children. Life issues. Relatives and family members pass or fall ill. Suddenly, I found myself coming to this website not just for political news but for the community we had built.
Why Regional Events Make a Huge Impact
When it was first announced that we would look at regional events, multiple regional events, I was immediately interested. DailyKos has built up - and continues to build powerful communities of people scattered all over the country. We all represent important stories that impact our local community. It goes with the old phrase: Think Globally, Act Locally.
Being in Detroit, I felt for many of their issues but I also felt like an outsider coming in, unprepared to really address their issues head on because despite meetings within NN, it was absolutely impossible to get up to speed in a way that led me to feel much beyond the basics. Like many people active in our home state issues it also can be intimidating. In a broad community of so many activists you recognize that other people have serious issues too. There simply isn't enough time to discuss all of them without feeling as though you short change an issue.
Regional meetings are different. More compact meetings allow a smaller number of members to meet - larger than any Dkos function on a state level, but small enough that in a day or two everyone can feel as though they have an active voice that is heard.
Let me explain why that is important.
1. Regional Events allow for us to get more people to come at a lower cost.
This should be a no-duh no brainer. The fact is, regional events mean that more actual Kossacks and activist - not all of whom have enough money to attend a multi-day event in a city not close to them can come and participate. People who rely on their work will not feel the economic pinch of days away from work, instead they will be able to attend evenings or weekends in a town near by them.
More importantly, if we are a progressive group - and I know we are - we have to acknowledge that events like Netroots are not a cheap endeavor for many. Now, I spent a lot at Netroots, but even if I had spent the minimum, it would have been $2,000 easy, with $1,000 for hotels, $500 in plane tickets, $300 for a Netroots pass and $200 for food.
Many Kossacks simply do not have the funds to put that together. Those same individuals may have a powerful voice that tells the story that we really need to hear.
A regional event gives them that opportunity.
2. Regional Events Allow for Real Activism and Community Investment
Let's be really brutal here.. Netroots Nation is a large event with huge corporate sponsors. Even activist sponsors involved don't want a message or event that risks tarnish their corporate brand or rocking the boat too hard.
Would SiriusXM, Google, BMW who had a slot, NGP Van, and so many others who offered panels be interested in an event where we said: "We are organizing an event here because we have a single union hotel and this is near a great injustice. We will gather during the day and at night we will have a sit-in near X?" Hell no.
I'm not saying that would happen or be a good strategy but Netroots Nation is a multi-milliondollar event with large investment and as a result it has to insulate itself from public relations nightmares.
Because of Netroots size, it must chose large convention centers that are fully unionized - something I agree with, which limits their venue. At the same time, this does not help grow unions in any measurable way, as many of these communities already feature broad union support.
Imagine the alternative. A regional event stationed in.. Nashville, Kansas City, Huntsville, Jacksonville, whereever. Where a regional event can go and find a single hotel that can handle 200, 300 activists that is fully unionized.
In that environment, an investment by activists in a union facility over other non-union facilities sends a powerful message that we stand behind our unionized friends and we stand behind the newly organized. That we are with them to help organize in places where organization isn't popular.
Think of what a powerful message that can be.
3. Regional Events allow locals to feel as though they have a role in leadership
This is my last and key point. When netroots nation was in Detroit I learned a lot about Detroit.. and motor city Kossacks were fantastic. But I ask all of you seriously: did any of you feel as though Motor City Kossacks were part of the leadership agenda in setting the tone for the event?
Of course not. An event like NN has to cater to nationwide issues. So, the host city gets to attend and their issues are brought up, but they are not really the leaders on those events.
I had a fortunate and crazy mishap at Netroots. Unhappy with one of the announced panels before hand, I well.. bought the caucus. I had the name changed and the event was setup to echo what I wanted. When I asked who would lead the caucus that someone from DFA out of Michigan would present.
So, my caucus of Kansas & Missouri would be facilitated by someone from Michigan. Thankfully - and I mean no offense here - that person didn't show up. Instead, only individuals from Kansas & Missouri showed up (and one Oklahoman) and we had an hour to talk through our issues and delve into how we were going to fix things.
I realized then what had happened to the Motor City Kossacks. While they were involved in Netroots, I never felt as though I had an opportunity to get to see their home city through their eyes. I had just had an opportunity to lead a group and talk about my home state in their community and I was able to get into more direct detail then I felt the home city was able to.
In a regional meeting, the local group, no matter where it is would have an immediate feeling of leadership in the event. Do to the smaller size and the more local setting, you increase the leadership sentiment of locals. This is very important because the more we empower locals and regions, the more activists we create who seek change.
Now, I want a brief note on why I may or may not attend NN15.
If I were Markos, I would not attend NN15. I feel as though his powerful statement and words deserve no rebuttal from me. Markos was clear to point out that his decision not to attend did not mark a boycott but his own personal stance, and I respect that.
I have had time to think and I do not yet know how I fall on this issue. Frankly, if a regional event were held in Phoenix, I would go. I would go instantly to support the local Phoenix Kossacks and community.
Netroots Nation, though is part activism and part trade show. As a result, I feel as though the money poured into that community as a matter of a trade show is something I struggle with. Netroots will bring into those communities outside companies, advertising groups and the like who will spend fresh money into the community that have absolutely no intention at activism, only promotion - because that is their job and I feel it is an important one.
In a year of no state or federal elections, the impetus to network and gain information and promote candidates is less, nullifying the other major reason I went to Netroots this year.
That said, I feel also as though attending NN15 - depending on the outcome of this falls elections - could be seen as a matter of support for a changing community, as many have noted. Should Democrats make a big dent in November in Arizona, I will feel as though attending NN15 takes on a different angle, a matter of supporting the groups and infrastructure that bring resources to the state.
This is the difference for me.. the difference between a focused small group and a large tradeshow. I won't get into the debate over policy toward a community. I am not a member of that community and I must respect how individuals like Markos feel. All I can do is sit back and watch.
Putting all of that aside, if I am spending my money and I have the opportunity to go to 4 regionals where I can learn something directly from other activists about what has succeeded and failed within their community and I must divide my resources to do multiple salons or NN, I will do the regional without question. It won't even be a contest.