Washington Post Article
The Washington Post’s Catherine Rampell released an article yesterday that basically shat on progressive youth organizations. Rampell makes the claim, as so many uninformed journalists do, that the recent surge in youth turnout should be accredited solely to Barack Obama and not in the least to youth activist organizations. She mentions Rock the Vote and…
Remember that Speech
I know this post is about a week too late but I still wanted to talk about that speech. I spent a lot of last week thinking about it and listening to commentary on it. To this point I would not have called myself an Obama supporter, and I am still not quite there, but…
Read this book, after this blog.
I just finished reading Mike Connery’s book “Youth to Power” and I felt the need to write about it. Not because I feel the right to critique it, or that anyone would take that critique seriously. I want to write about it because it has given me so much to say and I work in…
Langerado: My First “On the Ground” Experience with HeadCount
If you looked at my ankles right now, you would think I had Chickenpox. There are red dots everywhere, and they do itch. However, those red dots were not caused from the varicella virus. Nope, I was the victim of fireants! Now that I have been back in D.C. for a few days, the fireant…
Vietnam Blast
My partner's father is a Vietnam veteran. He was sent around the age of 19 and flew schanooks over Vietnam, mostly being responsible for picking up bodies (from both sides). I have heard him describe how when they picked up casualities on the side of "the enemy" how they would dump them in mass graves…
Huckabee is Right
This war has entrenched us in a major, major debt. (And its growing right this second) And, let's not forget, we'll all be recieving those nice "bribe" checks from our lame-duck President for $600 each (more if you're married, more if you have kids, and half as much if you just don't work). I'll be taking…
Client 9 loves long time
I stay away from the ethical or moral argument as much as possible. I’m not secure enough in my own ethics to possibly pass judgment upon another’s moral choice. I find it even more disturbing that throughout the United States history the “moral police” have been implementing morality though law or brutish tactics with an…
Why HeadCount? Why me? Why you?
Whenever I tell people about my involvement in HeadCount, I am usually met with various forms of agreement and approval. "Yeah, I've see those booths at shows," "Way to go," or "Wow, that's cool. I wish I could volunteer," and to them I reply, "You can!" But sometimes people seem baffled about why I would've…
Part of a Bigger Picture
On Friday, I had the chance to contribute to the IMPACT: Conference on Service, Advocacy, and Social Action (www.changingthepresent.org/campusconference2008). The conference, held at Northeastern University, was supported by many great sponsors and a worthy planning committee. The IMPACT conference was a mainstay of activism for 24 years, and when it looked like sponsorship was about…
Feeling the Fear
One thing that has astounded me, (and quite frankly, I sort of feel uncomfortable talking about it) is how much I have heard Barack Obama supporters say how scared for his safety they are. I am big believer in the power of positive thought, and the power of the mind to bring thoughts into reality,…