Free Speech: An American Value

I have always loved a good protest (what native Cantabridgean doesn't?), and it has been sort of jarring for me to participate in this convention as a supporter rather than as a protester.

I was surprised to find myself being unhappy about protests by groups I belong/belonged to and I had to question my sense of self. I have always felt that it is righteous to oppose "the man" but now I see these people with signs and plans and bandanas, prepared for pepper spray and nightsticks, and I wonder if they will accomplish their ultimate goals by doing what they're doing. I don't know the answer but I have a lot of deep questions to ponder.

Toshi said maybe he was just feeling nostalgic for the protests of our rebellious "youth" (haha I know we're still babies in this world in the grand scheme of things), but he felt that we were standing for something important and our protests might have succeeded in accomplishing our goals (for example letting third party candidates debate with the major party candidates). I pointed out that our protests (and even our votes) did not accomplish that goal 8 years ago, and our possibly misguided efforts may have unintentionally contributed to the travesty of justice that was the 2000 Presidential election. Toshi encouraged me to consider the larger and more nuanced picture. and he's probably right. perhaps I blame myself too much. Still, I am questioning... what is the most effective strategy to create real change?

I am wondering if I am getting old or what is happening to me...

but I fully support the right of protesters to make their opinions heard.

There are many different groups here, bringing visibility to their issues and helping our democratic process by participating in the way that is natural to them.

Lots of people traveled from far away to protest the war in Iraq, especially Iraq Veterans Against the War and also Code Pink (women for peace). They will also be protesting at the RNC in the Twin Cities.

The Iraq Vets led a march of 10,000 people and delivered a statement calling on the Democratic nominee to endorse the three main goals of IVAW: Immediate withdrawal, full veterans benefits, and reparations for the Iraqi people.

Following a packed show at the Denver Coliseum where Rage Against the Machine and the Flobots encouraged the crowd to join IVAW's march, two squads of 25 IVAW members each formed up outside the venue and began marching to the Pepsi center. The squads were led by members in dress uniforms and combat uniforms, with thousands of supporters marching behind them.... Former Texas Lt Governor Ben Barnes came out of the convention to accept a letter from the IVAW members.

Smaller groups and individuals also added their voices to the outcry against this criminal and immoral war of aggression.

I cried when I saw these women with their handmade masks and signs, silently marking the memory of people lost in the Iraq war.

Some of the protests/protesters made me uncomfortable or unhappy, like these people protesting the very idea of homosexuality.



Luckily there was an awesome counter-demonstration alongside them with hundreds of pink & yellow balloons inscribed "gay." Remember, gay also means "happy" and that's how this made me feel. It was very upsetting though to look to the left and see these happy gay balloons and then to look to the right and see angry religious people. Can't we all just get along? Whatever happened to "live and let live"?


Some of the protesters had elaborate costumes and props...









Some of the protesters were just plain silly...






Some were painfully misguided...






Here's an example of some "fair and balanced" coverage (commentary by my fabulous friend Steve):

Apparently, when you refuse to speak to the obnoxious and condescending reporter from Faux News – or when you speak out against corporate media manipulation – that means you “don’t believe in freedom of speech.” At least, that’s according to Fox News’s Griff Jenkins. The protesters outside the Democratic convention in Denver give him a piece of their agitated minds; hilarity ensues:

Something else surprised me and caused me to be quite challenged personally. There were lots of anti-abortion people here with bloody pictures of fetuses, chanting about the value of life. Many of them were young women: my age, educated and otherwise just like me (there but for the grace of God go I).

I guess I had a preconceived notion that anti-abortion crusaders were mostly crusty old men with a not-so-secret agenda of controlling women's bodies and women's lives.

I was shocked and (I must admit--saddened) to see young, smart, liberated women advocating for a reduction in women's rights to regulate and control their own bodies, their reproductive rights, and to decide for themselves when is the right time to have a child. (this video shows the entrance to the Pepsi Center where the delegates were listening to the keynote speakers Weds night--the lady you can hear on the megaphone as you approach the gate was one of the leaders of this anti-abortion protest).



I can't argue whether human life is or isn't valuable--obviously it is. But I found myself sick to my stomach when I saw the blown up color photos on banners blaming Obama for abortions or labeling him a "baby-killer." I know that there is an important moral aspect to the abortion issue--it isn't just any old medical procedure, but is also isn't as simple as "bad/immoral people killing babies." Sometimes a woman's own life is at risk, sometimes she has been the victim of rape or incest, and sometimes she simply knows she is not ready or capable of being a good mother at this time. How can we value life when we are relegating those "innocent babies" we've "saved" to a lifetime of poverty, maternal resentment, and poor parenting? I am reminded of the line from a Michael Franti song, "You can make a life longer, but you can't save it."

We have to learn to live together in the middle ground and discuss the material in the grey zones, rather than just sticking to our own narrow perspectives and the scripts that come with the "pro-choice" and "pro-life" labels. Divorced from the salience of the abortion debate, I don't think any American can truly pick either life or choice--we value both!

So I have been fundamentally challenged and changed by what I've seen here, and by my own reactions to these protests. It is OK, because this is America and we are allowed to disagree with one another and still remain a country united by a commitment to free speech.

And in this new America, we are allowed to reconsider deeply held opinions in the face of new information without being called a "flip-flopper." At least I hope so.

Please join me in the new America, where it is safe to reassess preconceptions and build common ground.

Cop Watch: F*ck the police??

Denver and the Twin Cities each received $50 million from the federal government for security improvements for the Democratic and Republican Conventions respectively.

Denver was literally swarming with police officers, and it was actually kind of scary for the first couple of days. Toshi and I talked to some of the cops, dressed to the nines in snazzy new riot gear, and Toshi asked what they were doing.

Lady Cop: We're here for the DNC.

Toshi: But why are you all suited up in riot gear? What are you anticipating?

Lady Cop: We're prepared for anything--most of the protesters plan to be peaceful, but some of them are not.

Toshi: It's kind of scary to see you all dressed like this, with the big clubs & extrame riot gear...

Lady Cop: That's probably a good thing!

As we walked away, I felt uneasy--people who are not breaking the law and don't plan to break the law shouldn't have to feel afraid of the police.

Only people who are doing something violent or wrong should fear the consequences.

People whom the police are supposedly protecting (participants in the DNC) should feel reassured by their presence, but the "police state" feel in the air was disquieting when we arrived on Sunday and certainly it intensified on Monday.

The rest of the week, things seemed to quiet down, and there wasn't as much intense police presence. The protesters also seemed to tone it down, and there was less of a sense that direct confrontation (rather than simply free speech) was the main goal.

Of course the police were still out and about patrolling the streets, but it didn't feel like there were hundreds of riot cops within view at all times. And the constant wailing of sirens had waned to random moments punctuated by flashing lights on police vehicles.

These bicycle cops happily posed for pictures with several convention-goers, including yours truly. They were funny, relaxed, and friendly (this was Wednesday, after things seemed to have generally cooled down).

Ultimately, all of the interactions Toshi and I had with the police were positive, with them giving me information about where to eat, where to go, and general safety tips ("Don't have your convention credentials hanging around your neck where people can snatch them" or "Get out of the street, ma'am--you're about to get run over!").

One moment when I was particularly glad to have the strong police presence was when Toshi and I encountered these 2 protests: pro-gay and anti-gay demonstrations were underway right next to one another on the 16th street mall (pedestrian street lined with shops in Downtown Denver near the convention center). Things were tense to say the least. I was getting increasingly worried as the insults flew and the F-word was liberally applied by both sides.

I suggested we get out of there--and as we left, I was so relieved to see a big squad of police officers put themselves in between the two groups of angry protesters. They put their bodies in between the two groups, so that each one could express their points without hurting someone or getting hurt. I have great respect for these officers who used their own bodies as a shield for free speech.

It makes me reconsider the lyrics of this song by one of my favorite musical artists (Michael Franti/Spearhead).

"F*ck the police! We can keep the peace.
We can make love and conquer that disease.

Because nothing in the world is impossible to me--
I can swim on dry land or roll up on the sea.

Nothing in the world is impossible to me--
you can chop off my legs and I'll land upon my feet!"

But can we keep the peace? Or do we need some help? Maybe we get by with a little help from our friends?? can the police be our friends? can "they" be part of "we"?

Our hostess Brit (a street medic) told me she was impressed with the police and the worst injuries they treated were sunscreen in the eyes and a bandaid for a cut in a Food Not Bombs kitchen. Brit said she was walking home w/2 other medics, decked out in red crosses, at 3am on night. Public transportation had shut down for the night. A police car pulled up and offered them a ride, saying "We're both neutral observers here."

When I was a kid, I used to love tagging the following graffiti:

BUT

I wrote this all over the place without considering the practical implications and without truly considering he meaning of either anarchy or peace.

Now I wonder if "anarchy but peace" is even possible?

or even desirable? (sorry black blockers!)

Or if it just something that people scrawl on bathroom walls to make ourselves feel better, to feel like we're doing something, to get a surge of powerful feelings like we are "sticking it to the man." but who is "the man" anyway? and is there a better way to change our world?

I guess I have become more critical and more of a realist since I was 13 (I sure hope so!). As I grow older, I realize how important it is for people to have limits and the necessity to have individuals and groups within society (and families) who enforce the limits for the sake of basic safety, sanitation, and respect.

People feel safer and behave better with limits: social science and lived experience bear out this conclusion. We need to know what the limits are, or we will constantly be testing them, and this constant testing without discovery of any boundaries leads people to a state of angst, anxiety, and even anger. Children and adults alike yearn to know what is OK and not OK, and we look to someone who is stronger, smarter, and safer than ourselves to show us the way.

but are the police the right people for the job? Should they be the boundary-enforcers of first resort or only used as our last resort when all else fails?

social workers are often considered a kind of social police, and I have often felt uncomfortable wih the social control aspect of my field, preferring the social justice angle.

Especially as a new and young social worker, I often find myself wondering, "Who am I to be enforcing these social norms anyway?"

Martin Luther King was often challenged by supporters and skeptics alike about his commitment to legal reforms to protect and ensure civil rights for all people. Critics said that education, not laws, were needed to truly reform people's hearts and minds. MLK agreed to a certain extent, stating that laws and education were both necessary components of the recipe to heal the racial divides in our nation. Then he stated that "the law can't make a man love me- but it can keep a man from lynching me! and I think that's pretty important too." So laws and law enforcement have an important role to play in social justice, social harmony, and the regulation of social behavior.

I don't have the answer to all this, but again I have a lot of important questions to ponder about how we can create the society we want with carefully chosen and humanely enforced limits to maintain basic safety and security for community members.

It seems to me that we do need help keeping the peace, and it is a generally good thing to have people trained to prevent problems and injuries when people are exercising their right to free speech. but of course power can breed corruption and abuse, so it is essential that police forces (especially those outfitted with powerful automatic weapons, lethal and non-lethal strategies for stopping protesters in their tracks, tear gas, and massive nightsticks) be held accountable for their actions.

This guy might disagree:

It was interesting to me to see the reaction of some of the protesters to the police presence--having personally talked to people in Bosnia, the USSR, and Nazi Germay, I don't think Denver during the DNC is anything close to what a "police state looks like" ...

The police were generally helpful and friendly unless you were doing something dangerous or pushing against the boundaries that were set up to preserve the safety of the delegates and convention attendees. With plans such as the one that DASW (Direct Action to Stop War) explained to me--trapping the delegates in wire cages as they tried to enter the convention floor for example--I think it would have been worse if these protesters were allowed to exercise their so-called "right to free speech" by usurping others' rights to move about freely. If a "police state" means stopping people from committing the crimes of assault, battery, and kidnapping against participants in the democratic process, sign me up.

Free speech is a right that does have some limits, like the way my father describes the right to smoke cigarettes:

"You're right to smoke a cigarette ends where my nose begins!"

Today I was having coffee and blogging at an internet cafe and I saw someone who looked very familiar, so I asked if he was from Berkeley--he WAS! And he came here to assist Denver's CopWatch program, which holds the police accountable for their actions by documenting what is happening, and attempts to prevent police brutality and abuses of power by being present and letting the police know that someone is watching their activities and reporting on what they are doing.

I had a great conversation with the CopWatch rep from Berkeley, as well as a local CopWatcher from Denver (video coming soon--it's a long one so it takes a while to upload; check back soon!).

They graded the cops' behavior this week as follows:

Sunday: B

Monday: F
(Rage Against the Machine Concert)

Tuesday: C

Wednesday: B+
(Iraq War Veterans March)

Thursday: B

Arriving in Denver

Woke up this morning in Rawlins Wyoming and realized that I had crossed into a new timezone--go Rocky Mountain Time!!

I drove through Cheyenne (more of my favorite highway: I-80, baby!!) almost all the way to Denver!!!!

In Denver, the center of "Obama-Nation," I met up with Toshi (he flew in from Berkeley this morning). It was wonderful to see him again, and I was so glad that he was willing to trust this crazy idea and come out to Denver. I know he wont regret it!

We went to the orientation for our volunteer job with the campaign, where we discovered that they don't need our help nearly as much as we thought, so that was disappointing--I came here to help, not to sit around being a tourist. Toshi had a better attitude--he said we would use this time to explore Denver, talk with supporters and protesters, and we would paticipate in the activities of the Convention to the extent that we can. Smart guy!

Then we went over to the place we're couchsurfing with our new friends Brit and Chris. They're street medics who tend to the ailments of protesters such as pepper spray injuries, head injuries, panic attacks etc. Chris is on the left, Jamie (another friend and street medic from Olympia, Washington) is in the middle and our fantastic hostess Brit is on the right.

Really great people, definitely kindred spirits--and they have wonderful cats named Baxter and Sunflower (Sunny) who cuddle me while I sleep.

Monday night, we thought we would be watching Michelle's speech from the convention floor, but they didn't need us volunteering there and of course we didn't have the credentials to get in ourselves (someone outside had a sign that said: "Got HOPE, but no CREDENTIALS")...

so Toshi found another amazing thing to do...

We drove out to Red Rocks (natural ampitheater near Denver) for a film festival called "Cinemocracy."

One of my favorite CDs was recorded by Dave Matthews Band "Live at Red Rocks" and I had always imagined coming here someday to see and experience it for myself. This was one of the little blessings of being "not needed" to volunteer at the convention.

We took a great hike around the very red rocks and amazing formations that create this unique landscape, and we stopped for a snack and a chat in this cozy little rock formation.


Surrounded by this incredible natural beauty, we had what I can only describe as a "conversation of our lives," which ranged from our dreams to our hopes to our fears and how to overcome them.

I feel so blessed to have had the chance to experience this incredible environment and to have shared it with someone I love and care about so deeply.



The "Cinemocracy" film festival was sponsored by the DNC and featured short (5 minute) films by average Americans which were submitted a few months ago--the top 10 films and several "honorable mentions" were played at the film fest at Red Rocks.

The film fest opened with an awesome film called "Downtown Denver 2008" which was created by the Denver Host Committee of the DNC. In addition to being a beautiful and invigorating view of Denver and its people, we recognized someone we know!!

Watch the film and notice the dude in a cap (with the bill flipped up) sitting on a bench at about 2 minutes and 8 seconds into the film: That is CHRIS, whom we just met (If you forget what Chris loos like, just scroll up to check out the photo--he's wearing the same awesome hat in both the pic above and the video below)!!

So we were jumping out of our seats and pointing and squealing when we saw him on the big screen. It was so exciting--we only know 2 people in all of Denver, and here was one of them right in the video only 2 minutes into the film festy!! It was definitely a sign that we're in the right place, doing the right things, with the right people.



These two were my favorites; they weren't the #1 winners and I don't know why:

IF YOU REALLY KNEW ME

Directed by Betsy Leighton, Denver, CO

WHAT IS DEMOCRACY?

Directed by 5th graders: Skelly Aggett-Carosella, Ivar Cloudshadow, Trevor Green, Gabe Greenberg, Noah Greenwald, Jade Hunter, Aidan McGinnis, Izaiah Read, Sienna Richert & Emma Wilson, Boulder, CO

These were the other films, which ranged from the silly to the sublime:

• CINEMA+(DEM)OCRACY=CINEMOCRACY – Alan Dominquez, Denver, CO
• DEMOCRACY: A MARRIAGE – Isha Aran, Lakewood, CO
• DEMOCRACY: A STEADY LOVING CONFRONTATION – Jen Saffron, Pittsburgh, PA
• DEMOCRACY IS A SPECTACLE – Joseph Le Sac, Tacoma, WA
• DEMOKRATIA – Josh Massaro, Isaac Ramos, Melissa Lane & John Knauf, Highlands Ranch, CO
• SUNRISE – Robert Florescu & Sylvia Florescu, Denver, CO
• THE RIGHT TO HAVE A VOICE – Jessica Rosenberger & Austin Tally, Chicago, IL
• YOU CAN’T EAT FREEDOM – Martin Higgins, Lonetree, CO

The Nevada State fair

I had an amazing time at the Nevada State Fair these past few days!!

It was in Reno and it had tons of great activities which I'll describe in as much detail as I can below:

There was a whole area where baked goods were displayed. I was quite inspired by the castle cake.

There was an Indiana Jones cake which was beautiful and quite realistic (the cake was shaped like Indiana Jones--with the hat & everything, just like a doll made out of cake), but someone had touched it or something and Indy's torso began falling over. I offered to help the man who was propping Indy up, but he said he was all set. I was impressed by the creativity of the home arts that were displayed at the fair.

There were the most exquisite quilts!!

My pictures will never be able to do them justice.

This one is a fabulous quilted map of Reno.

I believe it won one of the awards.

When I was walking through the quilt exhibit, I thought of my Auntie Rita and my mom and so I took a lot of pictures, but none of them measure up to the intricacy of detail and the care that was taken in the creation of these handmade quilts.

It was inspiring and tears came to my eyes when I looked up close at the tiny stitches in delicate patterns, the essence of quilting made clear by the elegant simplicity of a woman with a needle and thread and time and work.

I saw tons of beautiful animals and funny animals and oh so many bunnies!!

The animals were raised by children and young people and families. it was awesome to see how well the animals were cared for and how much their caretakers loved them.

They raise and breed the bunnies for pets and treat them kindly. the bunnies were relaxed and tame, letting tons of strangers pet them.

I could tell they were healthy bunnies and happy bunnies, even the ones who were slated for the dinner plate eventually.

Although I do have to admit that it took quite a bit of self-control not to buy these trios of bunnies that were for sale in the "meat pen."

I dearly love my parents and I am so grateful that they let me have bunnies when I was growing up; it was such an important part of my childhood. But being at the fair, I did feel jealous of these girls who were allowed to breed and keep and show their rabbits--maybe I'm really a Nevada girl at heart?


There were stupendous sheep and goats. The sheep were shorn very close and they looked quite sophisticated.



These goats on the other hand, were not going for the "sophisticated" look.

I even got to pet a baby alligator--it was very scary, and it felt cool and kind of smooth and hard. It was just walking around on the floor of the events center, with some little boys who were the caretakers (supervised by adults of course).

The boys were the ones actually handling the alligator and helping other kids and scared people like me interact safely with the alligator. This boy carefully instructed me on how to pet the alligator on its body, not its head, tail, or legs.


I volunteered at the Washoe County Democrats booth at the fair, with Michelle (left) and Cheryl (right). The two volunteers in the middle were awesome, and they walked around the fair registering voters while the rest of us worked the booth.

We distributed information about the local Democratic candidates and about Barack Obama's Campaign for Change. We gave out Obama stickers, buttons, and signs (which I donated thanks to Toshi!!) and registered voters. We also had fabulous merchandise, including this adorable donkey. I got 2 wine glasses and a corkscrew inscribed "Turn Nevada Blue!" since we'll need something to celebrate with in Denver!

Cheryl also took me all around the fair and taught me lots of interesting things abut Nevada and the local area, as well as the wildlife and earthquakes. She was so kind and took her time telling me all of the things I wanted to know about all kinds of things from voter registration to snakes' skin.

Michelle was also wonderful and she gave me great advice about the drive I was about to embark upon--she warned me about the last places to get gas and food and to go pee. and now that I'm on the other side of the long drive, I so deeply appreciate her advice. She also spent a good deal of time helping me learn about voter registration processes in Nevada and answered all my questions.

The Republicans also had a booth, but they weren't staffing it a lot of the time. So we registered a lot of Republican voters too. One couple came to our booth and the women marched right up t us, smiling. She said, "I'm the Democrat; he's the Republican," pointing to her husband who was hanging back sceptically. Beaming, she continued, "We visited the other booth, so now we're coming over to see you!"

There was something about that moment that felt so moving and profound to me. I can't exactly explain it, but it made me fall more deeply in love with this country and its people.

Right across from their booth was this army recruitment booth . there was no one at the booth; or I would have given them a piece of my mind.

they did have a hummer though. it made me mad.



They displayed this vehicle for people to romanticize what my friend veteran (of the 1st Iraq War) Dave described as hellish living for months with other men in a HumV just like this one in scorching heat.

I can't see a hummer without thinking of Dave.

as I was standing there thinking about Dave and what I would say to whomever was supposed to be staffing this booth, I noticed that the hummer said "YES YOU CAN!" in big letters on the side. and then i got really mad and had to walk away.

NO we can't--we can't continue this expansion of military service as the only choice for rural and poor people to try to build a life for themselves. we have to offer the youth or America other choces to build their skills without risking their lives. and America must change our attitude towards war, militarism, violence, and we must reexamine the ease with which we have authorized wars in which thousands of America's children have been slain, mutilated, and traumatized.

we can't continue to treat the youth of America like a commodity easily sacrificed for profit or domination.

Luckily chickens also make me think about Dave, in a happier way--because Dave loves CHICKENS. he would have been in chicken heaven at the fair! Here's chix pix for my friend Chicken Dave.







After the fair, I drove to Elko in Northeastern Nevada. Before I left, I saw this mural with the heading:

Dedicated in all humility to those who blazed the trail

Along the way, I stopped in Puckerbrush, Nevada for gas. check it out!
I arrived in Elko at my Motel 6 and it was wonderful. The woman staffing the place was so helpful and I really did feel at home in my room.

I was comfortable and happy, and I was able to use the internet which is always fun and which is how you're getting all these great pictures!

After a night in Elko, it's on to Utah and Wyoming.

A big driving day tomorrow!

Safe Arrival: The World's Biggest Little City

I left Berkeley, CA this afternoon (from the East Bay Headquarters) and picked up my fabulous carpooler Ella.

Ella and I both grew up in cities on the East Coast, and so nether of us had experienced many State Fairs and we were both so excited to check it out!

Before I left on this trip, I had lunch with my dear friend Sarah and she was laughing at me because I was gushing about how exotic and amazing the state fair sounds to me ("They have championship wiener dog races, Sarah--actual statewide CHAMPIONSHIPS!!!" I exclaimed). She was amazed at how little I had been exposed to this culture which was quite "boring" and familiar to her and how truly fascinated I was by the very things she thought were totally lame....

Me: "What exactly is a tractor pull, anyway?"

Sarah (whipping out her trusty blackberry): "You know, that's something I've always avoided since it sounded so boring; but you're excited and now I'm curious-- Let's look it up"
(this is one reason I love Sarah--one reason among many)

Sarah (quoting wikipedia): "A competition using tractors and large trucks to pull a heavy drag along a 'track': tractor pulling is very popular in rural areas. Usually the drag offers progressively greater resistance as it is pulled. It can be a great spectacle, and although the vehicle produces a great deal of noise and smoke and throws dirt everywhere, it doesn't actually travel very far."

Then Sarah and I cracked up laughing and I nearly had corn chowder come out of my nose--not pretty!

So now I am seriously fired up and ready for tractors!

We made it to Reno after about 4 hours of driving and went straight to the Obama office. It was a nice space, with lots of little offices and a larger meeting area. They were running a training which looked very interesting and was quite well-attended, but we rushed off excitedly to the Nevada State Fair.

So Ella and I arrived at the fair and we didn't see any tractors, but we did see a bunch of horses and cows and sheep and snakes and cool rides and guys in cowboy hats and Republicans and corn dogs and even some vegetables! We took a short stroll around to get oriented and had a snack (OK, truth be told: Ella had the veggies and I had a hot dog--a guilty pleasure but perfect at the fair).

We registered voters at the booth shared by the Obama folks and the Washoe County Democrats. The women staffing the booth were so kind to us and spent time talking us through the Nevada voter reg process and pointed out some important things that are different from California. For example, in CA when a felon finishes his parole, s/he is automatically eligible to register to vote, but in Nevada people have to request something allowing them to reregister to vote after a felony conviction and it takes several months to be approved. Another example of a difference is that in Nevada there is "Early Voting" which starts October 18th, which we don't have in California. And they have slightly different forms here...

Anyway, tons of fun!! and more to come. Just wanted to let you all know I'm safe and sound, sleeping in a family home in Sparks (outside Reno, kind of a suburb I guess--very nice neighborhood with beautiful houses and yards). My host family is so nice and gracious--they are Obama supporters and they actually volunteered at a recent event that Obama had for invited guests (250 people I think) from the labor/union community). One of my favorite things about the Obama campaign is the opportunity to meet such amazing and excellent human beings--no one joins this movement for the glory or to feed their ego--we do it because we are moved to do so. We are all just doing our part of the work that we all know needs to be done. Tonight I will fall asleep feeling profoundly grateful and proud to be part of this positive change.

Denver or BUST!

I'm volunteering at the DNC Convention in Denver this year!!

I'm super-excited, and I decided to spend time before and after the convention campaigning for Obama in some fabulous "red" (purple!) states.

I'll be driving from Berkeley, CA through Nevada and Utah and Wyoming, door-knocking and registering voters along the way. Here's my itinerary (click on the points to see the details):


View Larger Map

If this looks like fun to you... there's good news! I have room in my car for a couple solid Obama fans. I can pick you up if you live near my route, and we can rock the northwest US for Obama together. Click here to learn more about how to sign up to travel with me.

I'm hoping that local Obama supporters will help me to make this campaign trip a great success. I've asked for help with housing and local orientation. If you think you might be able to help, please click here to learn more about how we can help each other to get Obama into the White House!

My first stop will be the Nevada State Fair in Reno!!! Voter registration, wiener-dog races, and Republicans for Obama, oh my!

Obama Cart: From Divide to Unity

From Divide to Unity for Obama is raising money for the campaign and raising awareness by pulling an Obama Cart through small towns in battleground states. The journey started in Divide, Montana and the destination is Unity, New Hampshire!

The Cart has already attracted a lot of attention and has been featured by local media. Click here for local coverage in Butte Montana.

‘Pullers’ wanted By Erin Nicholes - 08/01/2008

ANACONDA — Bill Johnson was trolling a Barack Obama campaign Web site when he spotted a trade opportunity.

Obama fan Cheryl Souza, of Boston, was selling bookmarks to raise money for the presumed Democratic nominee’s presidential campaign. And Johnson, of Anaconda, was selling Obama signs from the ends of old cable spools.

“I agreed to trade her,” he said Friday.

But when the costs of shipping the sign to the East proved steep, the two brainstormed for a creative solution.

“I said, ‘You should really just wheel it cross-country,’” Souza said Friday in a phone interview. “He said, ‘OK.’ He just took it and ran with it.” On Friday, a cart Johnson made of three Obama signs will begin a long journey towards Souza from Montana to New Hampshire. Specifically, it will head from Divide to Unity, N.H., a route chosen to illustrate Obama supporters’ hopes for the country’s political future.

“This is such an ‘Obamanation’ thing going on,” Souza laughed. “We just get in over our heads.” The journey starts Friday at 5 p.m. at Divide — also Johnson’s hometown. From there, it will head to Butte, traveling down Iron and Montana to Interstate 90 at about 6:30 p.m. It will then journey on to Bozeman, Billings, North Dakota and ultimately New Hampshire.

“He found a way to connect Divide with New Hampshire, going through swing states,” Souza said.

Obama supporters along the route are sought to pull the cart, even for short legs. It has a hitch, and can travel about 20 miles an hour.

“We’re getting people slowly,” Johnson said, adding Obama campaign staff is helping find pullers. “Montana and North Dakota are the biggest problems because we have 100 miles between towns. Once we get it to Minnesota, then there are towns along the way.” Johnson, a local school board member, said he became an Obama supporter after hearing the candidate speak at the Democratic Convention four years ago.

“When Obama made his speech to the Democratic Convention I thought, ‘Oh boy, there’s a guy who’s saying what I’m saying,’” he said. “We need a rational and intelligent person; someone who’s familiar with the Constitution.” Souza, an ichthyology faculty assistant at Harvard University, is a longtime Obama fan as well. She frequents the candidate’s official campaign site and comes up with projects, such as bookmarks, to raise money for his presidential bid.

The Obama cart, she said, will be prominently displayed in her area.

“It might end up in the garden at my home,” she said. “But if I can find a taker in Unity, N.H., it would be really nice if I could find a permanent resting spot there.” Meanwhile, anyone interested in volunteering to pull the cart along the route can e-mail Bill Johnson at dividemt@aol.com.

“Even short 10-mile pulls” are welcome, he said.

Here is what Obama Cart recipient Cheryl Souza posted about the event:

We need folks from: Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and New Hampshire. Mostly battleground states.

For You to bring Obama Cart from Divide, Montana to Unity, NH! With Publicity

Bill Johnson is regularly updating his blog with the progress of the cart as it makes its way from his home in Divide, Montana to its new home in Unity, New Hampshire.

We started in Butte and ran the cart down Montana Street past the TV station (KXLF) and had what I thought was a great interview. Discussed why I am supporting Senator Obama and also some school board issues (I serve on the school board in Anaconda). I did not get to see any newscasts, so I am unsure of how the editing went. If anyone wants to go to the station and look, they usually post all of their video on the web site. They may not have used the interview last night, so check back tonight if it isn't there yet.

While my daughter and I were pulling the cart down Montana street, a middle aged man in a pickup yelled at us. He then pulled into a parking lot across the street and continued yelling. After a few seconds of that he gave us the finger and, while he continued his rage, drove away. It is the first time in my life of almost 58 years that I had that kind of hate directed against me. "Kind of stupid," was my first thought. That a simple sign could set off such a rage is pretty sad. What is sadder is the fact that some Americans have to put up with that kind of nonsense every day. I got a chuckle out of it, but later realized that he could have posed a danger to my daughter and myself. TV cameras came out just seconds after he left, so that may have encouraged him to leave. I have to say, though, I am proud to be on the side I am when it comes to such people. Now, let me add, McCain and his campaign do not support such bigotry either.

Then my wife and I took the cart to Bozeman...

Now, I believe this is the finest idea I have ever had. This cart attracts attention from everyone who passes and the media love it. Small town news-people love to have some contact with the national campaigns, just as us folks do. The press response is unbelievable. The cart provides a good positive visual image for the campaign (except of course for the above gentleman) and it is a real hoot to pull and talk to all the curious people.

Straight Talk Indeed

Apparently John McCain has a crush on Obama too! (see more)

The "Straight Talk Express" was seen sporting an Obama endorsement

To order your own Barack Obama '08 Bumper Sticker so your vehicle can look as good as John McCain's bus, click here.