Starting a Meme

[autographedcat]

A lot of people, myself included, linked to the I wish for peace meme. Many others have commented that while it's a noble wish, it doesn't actually accomplish anything.

I don't necessarily agree. I have always said that one person has the ability to make a difference in the world, within the reach of his arm and the sound of his voice. While the small things we each do to make the world a better place may not be a ripple to the larger world events, the incremental effect of ALL of us doing small things to improve the quality of life of those around us does.

In this country, we have a chance to make substansive change every time we hold an election. There's a lot that goes into mobilizing people for that campaign, starting with the primaries, and culiminating with the national election where we can attempt to peacefully change the disasterous direction we are headed by putting new leadership into office.

But in terms of a call to action, let's just disseminate this:

National Take Back Our Country Day: November 2, 2004

Pass it on.

Comments

[gingicat]

Did you find that somewhere, or are you starting it yourself?

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

Starting it myself. Came out of a comment I just made in ailsaek's journal, and decided it was worth repeating here.

Love,
-R

[gingicat]

Ok, then, why 2004 and not 2003?

[browngirl.livejournal.com]

Election day, no?

A.

[gingicat]

Ah, well in that case, we need to mobilize people for the primaries as well. I wonder if there are any ethical, well-known Republicans left who haven't been tainted by being forced to toady to Bush?

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

Yeah, we need to mobilize. I was focused on the goal, not the process. The idea was to get people talking about it.

Love,
-R

[gingicat]

I'd be willing to put together a web page that had a mission statement, links to various presidential candidates, and whatever articles we can get permission to reprint, or links to the originals. Would you be willing to be the point person for correspondence?

Re:

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

Sounds like a good plan. Let's talk about this in more detail sometime.

Love,
-R

[maedbh7.livejournal.com]

I'd be willing to put time and html into the site. Btw, can we secure a URL for that? www.ourcountry.org is already spoken for, but www.nationaltakebackourcountry.org is not, and neither is www.ntboc.org Thanks :) -H...

[gingicat]

That's certainly doable. Though, once you start spending money, it becomes necessary to set up properly as a non-profit organization, which also allows you to collect donations for operating expenses.

[cellio]

This is an important point. "Take back our country" shouldn't automatically default to "elect a Democrat". So, first target is the primaries, and then the general election.

Re:

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

The idea was to get people thinking about the next election with something short, attention-grabbing, and thought provoking. That's why I like it as a slogan -- the important thing, at the end, is that by the end of November 9th, 2004, George W. Bush is no longer our president, and no one who is committed to furthering his policies and agendas is either.

If there's a Republican who can run against the current administration's policies and get enough support so secure a nomination, I think that would be a stupendous thing. I have my doubts that such a thing is possible, but I'm willing to support that idea.

-R

[cellio]

Anything that gets people's attention in this direction is good. Sorry if I sounded critical; I didn't mean to.

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

More sorry if I sounded annoyed. :) The problem with reducing anything to a slogan is that it oversimplfies issues. But slogans are what people respond to.

Most of the response to this has focused on process, and that's of course what one wants to inspire with this sort of thing. But we don't want to lose sight of what we're focusing on.

I support regime change. I think we need to change our current administration to one that is more supportive of civil liberties, cause to be honest, THAT'S what worries me most about this administration -- not the adventuring abroad, which is problematic enough, but what is going on right here at home.

-R

Nitpick

[dglenn.livejournal.com]

You mean that on 20 January 2005 he's no longer our president. Or, to put it another way, that at the end of 9 November 2004 he becomes a lame duck.

Re:

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

Because November 9, 2004 is the next national election. :)

Love,
-R

[delennara.livejournal.com]

I really wish I could help you with this...
rightfully all the world should be allowed to elect somone with the power to mess up all the world...

[meritmaat.livejournal.com]

I wish you the very best for your Campaign!!!
*hugs*

[kyburg.livejournal.com]

*snatch*

Thanks.

[(Anonymous)]

"The small things we each do to make the world a better place".

Here, here. I try to guide my actions (and my inactions) with the aim of leaving things
at least as good as I found them.

"Mobilizing people for that campaign, starting with the primaries, and culminating with
the national election".

Not quite, unfortunately, at least for presidential elections. Remember the Electoral
College? And, most recently, Al Gore?

Ann Onynous.

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

All the more reason we should begin to focus people's attention on the next election now -- we cannot allow cynicism and doubt to play into the hands of those who would rather we just didn't vote at all.

Love,
-R

[starlyn-monster.livejournal.com]

Count me in. I have never voted. I couldn't decide what I was, so I never registered. At this point, I don't care what I am...I just want to contribute to keeping the accidental president from being president again. So I am going to decide on whatever and register.

[poltr1]

Waitaminnit....I thought Election Day in 2004 is the 2nd, not the 9th.

Unfortunately, the public -- and the media -- seem to forget that there are more than the Big Two parties out there.