accoster.

Perpetrators

2008-08-05T21:51:00.000-07:00

Does the internet ever piss you off? It happens with me now and then. And really it's not just the www but the whole newsmedia infotainment structure that churns away in a portion of cyberspace.

The presidential campaign has barely started and already I want all of them to just shut the hell up. The experience of the last 8 years has been extremely taxing on my civic pride. At first I thought we could fight and protest and get something done about the abuses being perpetrated on our Constitution. But now I realize that it's not just W and the Republicans. It's all of them. The Democrats are just as complicit in the bullshit that has transpired for the last 8 years and it's gotten to the point that I have no faith in any of them to make it right.

Clearly Obama is much better for our country that McCain would be, but I no longer expect America to do the smart thing. And I definitely do not think the Democrats will be bold, creative and savvy enough to make sure McCain loses. Now Paris effing Hilton is commenting on the race because a powerfully stupid McCain ad is getting massive media attention and even posting about this asininity just perpetuates the enraging cycle. The web just made me hate myself!

But on the other hand, I just got a Blackberry and it's great. Even just Google Maps and access to email on the go is enough for the price of admission, but with everything else you can do with that tiny computer I can't believe I waited this long. So it's not the whole tech & web thing I'm hating right now but rather just a piece of it. The chattering heads that are trying to explain how everything went to shit for these logical reasons are pushing me over the edge.

If you don't know why everything in this country has gone to shit they you just haven't been paying attention. All that money that's been lost in the mortgage meltdown, the failed banks and associated industries, that money didn't just poof into thin air. That capital moved into the coffers of many corporations and individuals all over the world. We have been looted. Obviously.

Digg & reddit are pumping out the same crap day after day. Delicious just upgraded and in that move somehow made the "popular" page suddenly worthless. Perhaps it's because I'm not spending as much time just surfing around finding the fantastic nooks and crannies of net as I used to I got caught in a stale loop of data but somewhere, something stinks. There's netrot out there and we need to clean it out, freshen this place up and start kicking some ass.

New ideas are needed. Backing down is not an option this time. And I need to find better places for info than the same ole sites that have been pissing me off for weeks now. Perhaps a bookmark-refresher is in order.

Update: Posts like this help.

On the Verge, Again

2007-09-02T01:02:00.000-07:00

More and more, it sounds like we're going to attack Iran. And that scares the shit out of me.

Ultra K

2007-08-28T18:49:00.000-07:00

This comic and write-up explain exactly how I feel.

I liked him last time, I like him even more this time, and I think the world and America are ready for a strong, honest, moral, intelligent and innovative leader to help guide this country, and this planet, towards a much more positive future.

I almost voted for him last time, and I am seriously considering giving him my vote this time.

He knows what Darth Cheney has done, and he's calling him out publicly. That was introduced last Tuesday. I must say, I'm impressed.

Good Riddance

2007-08-27T23:00:00.000-07:00

This is an awesome Calvin and Hobbes, and such a very good question.

Pretty crazy that Gonzo and Rove are both on their way out. I wonder about the timing, but only time will tell. It does make me happy, though!

Obama on TDS

2007-08-22T23:49:00.003-07:00

Barack was on the Daily Show tonight and it was a pretty good interview. Nothing earth shattering, although one part in the first half of the interview came off a little weird to me. Obama was talking about the campaign process, and he seemed to imply that people know you're not really telling the truth while on the campaign trail. And that seemed a strange thing to say. I guess I have to rewatch it to really understand what he was getting at, but on the first pass it sounded really odd. Here's the rest from after the commercial break.

I C U

2007-08-19T22:31:00.001-07:00

Big article in the NYTimes about the Wikiscanner. Seems like there are a lot of shady edits by corporate shills. Don't they know that nothing on the 'net is anonymous?

They Can't Handle the Truth

2007-08-17T00:31:00.001-07:00

I am going to assume that nobody is surprised that the the Feds and the Spooks are changing articles on Wikipedia to more closely match the hoped-for reality.

Wikiscanner is how they were discovered.

Another thing I've discovered is that outrage is dulled by disuse. You gotta keep paying attention to notice what's going on.

Here We Go Again

2007-08-14T23:03:00.000-07:00

Can you hear the drumbeats yet ? Or did you already hear that Beach Boys cover by Straightalk McCain?

Don't Fail Freedom

2007-08-14T21:04:00.001-07:00

Another petition from the ACLU demanding that Pelosi and Reed stand up for the rule of law and revoke the new FISA laws.

Stupidity

2007-08-10T18:35:00.000-07:00

I admit it, this makes me chuckle.

Don't Be a Smartass

2007-08-10T01:05:00.000-07:00

If you still have questions about the Iraq war and other US foreign policy this site might help.

Good News

2007-08-09T20:48:00.000-07:00

I'm psyched. Been looking for it for a long time, but I finally found the Secret, Undisclosed Location of Darth Cheney when he's not kicking it in the House of White.

Figures it would be right across the street from our apartment in SF!!

Dem Front Runners at Yearly Kos

2007-08-08T15:25:00.001-07:00

Here are 3 "break-out" Q&A sessions with the Dem front runners from the Yearly Kos convention in Chicago that wrapped up a few days ago.

Hillary, Johnnie E and Barack, via Talking Points Memo.

Sorta cheezy little moment at the start of Barack's Q&A, but the rest of it is pretty good. He manages to stick to his talking points while still sounding sincere. And exactly as I've heard, he's an excellent speaker. He's smart, that's clear. He knows what's important to us, that's also clear. I'm just still not quite convinced he's got the oomph and killer instinct to truly lead this nation to a better future.

John Edwards is fired up, and he chose a podium-less format to highlight his "I'm just like you" theme. But there is still something about him that doesn't quite work. He's both too folkys and too lawyerly for me. Not that there's anything wrong with being a laywer, it's just not the style of President I'm looking for. The questions are a little strange for him, though, so he doesn't get to talk about the same types of issues as the other two.

Hillary gets some great crowd responses, and she does an excellent job. I trust her to be moral, clear-headed and strong when it comes to the important decisions that need to be made, and to do it with a deft touch. She seems to have a better grasp on the vast number issues that are at stake. Barack talks about 'hope' and 'change' while Hillary talks specifics. I like that. She seems more real, and more firmly grounded than the other two.

What about you? Which did you like and why? Have you been watching the debates? Let me know.

Each of these clips are less than 9 min long, so do take the time to watch them. Provided we keep the Diebolds out of the voting rooms and the chads out of Florida, one of these 3 people will probably be our new President.

I only wish the election were yesterday.

FISA Mess

2007-08-08T13:41:00.000-07:00

Here's a petition to sign from the ACLU demanding that Congress get its act together and revoke the sweeping changes to the FISA laws that were just put through so that the Dems could go home for vacation and not have the Repubs and W paint them as "soft on terrorism."

Instead, now we can label the Democratic leaders of the Senate and House who let this happen--as well as all those other fearful Dems who actually voted for it--as the weak, pandering, rubberstamp fools that they are. They were voted into power in Congress to stop this bullshit, not make it worse!

I really don't understand how they can both want to fire AG Speedy G *and* give him even more power to determine which Americans the government can spy on. Stupid doesn't even begin to cover it. Here's a post from Firedoglake that highlights Representative Sestak's concerns about these new laws, and why he voted against them.

Confessions

2007-08-07T19:02:00.001-07:00

Here's a nice liveblog of the Democratic debate tonight. I confess, I didn't watch it. I'll make sure to catch parts of it over the next few days. I did get a good sense of it, though, reading the above.

No canvassing tonight. Got home from an appointment too late and couldn't make back to the city in time.

It feels rather awesome to be at home in the evening, though. This is a time of the day I enjoy thoroughly and it wasn't good for me to work through it every day of the week.

Balance is key. I'm thrilled that I had that job for the time I did and I learned a ton in a very short period of time, but it was simply untenable. Onward and upward, as they say.

But stick around. There's a lot to talk about, and we're going to have some fun watching this shitstorm of a Presidential election season roll out.

Positions

2007-08-06T23:54:00.000-07:00

Here's a great pair of links via BoingBoing that show where 18 presidential candidates stand on 24 issues, and also a way to select what you agree with, and therefore, who you should vote for. If you end up with Mickey Mouse, don't blame me.

Sputter and Fizz

2007-08-06T22:55:00.000-07:00

Got to rock some blocks in my neighborhood this evening. Sure wish I did a better job. It was a rare night when a big fat goose-egg was laid in the "Contributions" column. I could blame the people for not listening or the streets for being hilly, but really the fault is my own.

Tentacles of vacation still slithered through my mind while the tenuous webs-strings of the coming future started to stick and bind. Simply put, I wasn't focused on the job, and the lack of new members proves it. I could have gotten lucky and found someone that was already into the ACLU, that was just waiting for the right moment, but it didn't happen. I'll get a bunch of them tomorrow on my last day canvassing.

I'm not going to stop posting on this blog, though. I need a place to rant and shout and spew about politics. Without canvassing as an outrage outlet I'll need accoster. even more. Maybe I can stop people in their tracks online, like I have been out on the street and at doors.

And there's plenty to be pissed about. Topic 1 being the new laws in the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. NPR will tell you all about it. Check out the first portion of Talk of the Nation, then two short discussions on All Things Considered and Day to Day. There's something about this whole issue that seems to make my brain fizz and sputter, so I have to really listen. I have to make sure the whole "I cannot believe this is happening here, in America," idea doesn't drown out the actual, frightening facts of these new laws. Sometimes insanity/audacity is hard to focus on. Sometimes it is so hard to believe what I'm seeing that denial sets in. It takes effort to pay attention.

Vacation was awesome because I got to hang with my brand new nephew, spend time with with parents and see a lot of friends with new kids of their own. Figuring out what I should do for work won't be nearly as much fun.

Be Back Soon

2007-07-31T09:37:00.000-07:00

Taking a vaca this week in the Northeast. More accoster. next week.

Reminding the Dumbasses In Congress What the Consti-fucking-tution Says That They are Supposed To Be Doing

2007-07-26T01:20:00.000-07:00

Seriously people, it is time to stop fucking around. Do you give a shit about the Constitution? Do you care, at all, about what the Bill of Rights actually *says*? It is time--long past time, really--for everyone to get their heads out of their collective, complacent asses and hold this Administration accountable for completely undermining the basic tenets of our (now obviously) fragile democracy.

The American Civil Liberties Union called on Congress today to reaffirm itself as an equal branch of government and vote to hold White House officials in contempt for refusing to cooperate with legitimate congressional subpoenas. Calling this a constitutional crisis that threatens to destroy the separation of powers, the ACLU reminded Congress that its oversight and legislative role are vital.

The word "duh" does not even begin to express the amount of asskicking and faceslapping I want to do to Congress to somehow wake them the hell up.

Start. Doing. Your. (gavelbanging, fundraising, privatejetflying) Job.

No one is going to do it for you, or more importantly, for us. And apparently, I have to remind you again, LIBERTY CANNOT DEFEND ITS FUCKING SELF. Neither can the Constitution, nor the Bill of Rights.

People, actual humans like you and me, we have to defend those inanimate pieces of paper that are filled with profound and amazing ideas (and ideals.) There are other people in our country that would prefer to white-out, tear-up, dis-regard, ig-nore and de-stroy the rules and instructions that make our country work. These 'other people' are the individuals that make up the highest levels of our government, and Congress must do everything in its power to stop them.

Our Constitutional Republic is at stake. When will Congress awake?

Romero on Colbert

2007-07-25T01:44:00.000-07:00

Anthony Romero was on the Colbert Report, but it kinda sucked. Way too much shouting over one another and stupid contradictions by Colbert. I know he's playing the part, but I think with this one, he took it a bit too far. I know Colbert believes in what the ACLU is fighting for, and he really didn't do their fight any good by just parroting the idiots that typically disparage their efforts.

There were moments that the interview almost worked, but then Colbert would once again start shouting spurious arguments and obviously inane retorts.

Or maybe I just don't like Colbert that much.

Also, the one thing neither of them mentioned is that if you join the ACLU at the $30 a year membership level (or higher), you will get a free copy of Romero's new book In Defense of Our America. Do it. Invest in liberty. It's good for you, and it will let you sleep better.

Bad Hours

2007-07-19T01:36:00.000-07:00

Well I couldn't post last night 'cause I wasn't feeling too good about the job. After another very successful night in the Sunset, and after the paperwork was done and everyone else went home, the Director and I talked about the Asst. Director position. The outcome wasn't at all what I expected, or hoped for. He told me it wasn't going to work out.

It had nothing to do with my abilities or potential, though. He knew I could do it, and we work extremely well together. The bottom line is, he also knew the time requirements would not work for me, and he was right. The job requires 80-90 hours a week and that is simply far too much working for me to ever feel comfortable with. And that doesn't even get into the pay, which is absolutely ludicrously low. 24k a year is practically poverty level! Okay, well, maybe not quite that, but you know what I mean.

I'm annoyed at the whole situation, frankly. I want to do this. I want to be able to do this. I'm not happy that the company I work for is not able to provide a living wage for someone like me that is extremely passionate about the work and excels at it, but isn't willing to sacrifice everything in order to do it.

Perhaps I'm being naive. Maybe this is just how it goes in political grassroots organizing. Maybe no pay and endless hours are simply par for the course, but to me this seems rather extreme in both directions.

Choices are going to be have to made. My number one priority is my personal life. Lu and I need time to hang out and have fun. I want friends over for dinner, week night rock shows, time to read and write and go hang out with buddies for a poker game. There is simply no way I can work 90 hours a week, getting paid about $6 an hour.

But on the other hand, I've never had a job that I connected with so deeply. I love how gritty and real it is. I love being out on the street, talking to people about the issues. I love getting my team pumped up, being a leader and resource for them.

I have a lot to think about, I know, and I can only hope that good decisions, a supportive wife, and the wild froth of life will help me thread a true and rewarding path as the next few months play out.

I'm sticking around for the next week and a half for sure, but man, 4 nights a week just sucks!

Romero on the Radio

2007-07-17T00:01:00.001-07:00

Anthony Romero was on the Public Radio program Your Call on Monday morning, and it was a great interview. It was fantastic to hear the head of the ACLU talk about everything I'm focused on each and every day. I tried to call in and ask a question and tell him how rewarding canvassing has been, but the station's phone system was having some technical difficulties.

You can hear the whole interview here.

(oh and thanks Lu for letting me know he was on! I was quite happy to hear him speak.)

Onward and Upward

2007-07-16T23:39:00.000-07:00

Well, Friday turned out to be just as good as I hoped. Me and the new canvasser collected a total of $410, and about 5 new members. And tonight was even better. 12 members and over $1000 in donations from my team. We're done with North Beach and have moved on to the Sunset. The Inner Sunset is going to be a gold mine of potential ACLU members, I think. Lots of young professionals, new families, doctors, nurses and recent grads that are all very ripe and ready to join on up. If tonight is any example, we're going to do very well there.

However, walking in to work this afternoon, I really wasn't sure how much longer I'd be doing this. I received a call from the Director on Saturday afternoon (while at AT&T Park, watching the Giants lose, again.) and he informed me that the schedule was changing. Sunday/Monday would be the days off, and instead of just 3 nights of door canvassing (the 2pm-10pm shift), there would instead be 4 nights. And really, that just does not work for my personal life.

Lu and I talked it over all weekend, and decided that if that new schedule was firm and unchangeable, that I would definitely have to move on. I love doing this, but I refuse to let my work consume my life. I would never see my awesome wife, I would never have time for delicious dinners with friends, I would be unable to see music on a week night, and I really would not have the time to unwind, read and relax that I need to be a happy, healthy person. So first thing today, the Director and I talked, and the outcome was quite good.

He understands my need for a balance of work and life. He realizes that I'm not just some kid doing this for the summer or between jobs. I've made it clear through my words and actions that I want to try and make grassroots political organizing my career, and I've done everything I can to be an asset to the office. So instead of just letting me go, he agreed that perhaps a more palatable schedule can be arranged if I become the Assistant Director. No Saturday canvassing. Two nights off during the week.

And I am absolutely thrilled to take on this challenge. It will mean a few extra hours here and there, as well as a whole heap of added responsibilities, but I'm ready for it. I'm more than ready, really. I'm totally fucking psyched, and I can't wait to take this next step helping the ACLU grow and to continue fighting for our civil liberties.

We're heading back into the foggy Sunset tomorrow, and I'm certain we're going to kick ass, again.

An Open Letter to Streets That Are Non-Supporters, and an Ode to Macondry

2007-07-13T00:42:00.001-07:00

Dear Union Street, Filbert Street and most of all, Taylor Street,

Thanks for nuthin!

Sincerely,
Bones

Macondry Lane, on the other hand, was the only saving grace of an otherwise terrible evening. I was hopeful when I stumbled into the tree-shaded, cobblestone alley with whole bunch of apartments tucked away. And that hope was well-founded, because only people on that calm, secluded lane decided to become members tonight.

On Union it was so loud, I was not surprised that people didn't want to come downstairs, or open the door. On Filbert I hit a section where there were many people that spoke no English. Taylor, however, was the place where I was called an Asshole, One of the Bad Guys and that I should get the F*ck off of His Property. When I left, wishing him a polite good night, he replied that I, instead, should have a Bad Night.

Really? That's what he wanted, Mr. Taylor? It seemed to me that instead he was projecting the dismal night of sadness and boredom he was about to have. His wife was quite nice and polite when I spoke to her, initially. She declined, I thanked her for her time as she shut the door, and then I rang the next bell. He really didn't have to come downstairs and interrupt my conversation with his neighbor. I had already moved on and would not be bothering him again. But he really didn't like that the ACLU had defended Al Sharpton, and he wanted to let me know it!

The creepy thing was him staring at me out his front window about an hour later when I was back on that block doing callbacks on addresses that had not answered, or asked that I come back later. Obviously, his door I would not be knocking on again.

His aggression definitely got my heart pounding a bit, but in the end all I could do was feel bad for him. I was nothing but polite and left as soon as he became agitated, but the rage I felt coming off of him made me wonder if he was about to take a swing. But he was old and small so I knew that probably wasn't going to happen. It wasn't a pleasant way to end the my first sweep of those streets, and the night didn't improve much from there.

Really, Macondry was the only nice part of the whole shift. I ducked back into that Lane during my callbacks, and I noticed right away how cool, quiet and sedate that shaded little lane was. Lu would demand a house there. And I'd be okay with that, too, I think!

Well, tomorrow is Friday, and I have a feeling there are a shitload of people out there just itchin' to sign up. In fact, I'm sure of it. Look for me on the street, I'll be spinning a clipboard, waiting for your signature and support. And if you say no, that's fine. I've heard far worse.

Oh and speaking of, there's 2 stories from last Friday that I have to remember to write up. Hilarious moments in the Castro. Pure awesomeness. Last Friday I only made $10. I'm hoping for a lot more tomorrow!

Fixing it on the Fly

2007-07-11T00:15:00.000-07:00

Craziness out there on the blocks of N. Beach tonight. As Field Manager, I draw up the maps for the other canvassers on my crew. The Director gives me an area, and then it's my job to work through it effectively and efficiently with my crew. Each night a canvasser is assigned about 3-4 primary streets and then 1-2 secondary streets.

Today I mapped them right smack into the middle of Chinatown. Yeah, not good. One might even call it Big Trouble. But my crew rocked and we got it figured out. I sent them north and west, out of those streets filled with shops, and with people that don't--on the whole--speak much English. Still managed to get 16 new members, and several of them will be contributing monthly. Even better, one canvasser absolutely crushed his goal and set up the office for a great week. But if I hadn't fucked up completely, that would have never happened. Challenges are simply opportunities from the wrong angle. Tonight we spun it in our favor.

I wonder, though, how the media will spin this new development in the Darth Cheney v. Congress battle. Here's the deal: The Prez and VP are supposed to tell the Information Security Oversight Office at The National Archives "how much material they classify and declassify." Not even what, just how much. VP D. Cheney refuses to do that. So now a Senate Appropriations Panel is refusing to fund the VP's office. It'll be interesting to see how this plays out. Maybe this time that long-sought creature called Accountability will pop in from Pluto and play.

This country is in crisis, but it just may be our chance for some positive change. We must be bold, though, because that is who Fortune favors.

Dubs Getting Desperate?

2007-07-10T00:07:00.000-07:00

I guess the only thing that W really worries about is political support. Not actually winning this awful war in Iraq. Not paying any attention to the majority of people in this country that want it to end. Not the soldiers and ex-generals that have called for it. Certainly not the Democratic Party's feeble, half-assed requests for an end to fighting.

But the last pillars of support are finally beginning to weaken. Republican Senators are starting to wobble. The Democrats are asking tough questions and demanding information about the Iraq War, the Justice Department firings, and Libby's commuted sentence. Senator Kucinich is submitting Articles of Impeachment for Darth Cheney. Meanwhile, W is throwing "Executive Privilege" at anything that moves. The scent of desperation is in the air.

I really think they thought they could get away with it all. And truthfully they still just might. But I have no doubt that history will judge these two so-called leaders as incompetent, cowardly and extremely detrimental to both America as a country and its reputation in the world.

I am hopeful, though, that the slow wheels of justice will continue to turn, and that maybe, just maybe, before 2009 rolls around, we will be able to witness the amazing power of the Constitution at work.

The People are Not Amused

2007-07-05T23:51:00.000-07:00

Covering some turf back in the city again, and it's nice stickin' around in town. Hit up North Beach today with 3 others and we had an excellent evening. Together we gathered over $1000 in donations, and made 15 people new ACLU members. Today was my first official day as field manager, and it went well. I like getting the team amped up, and having the added responsibility of scouting nearby streets for our next door-to-door effort in the 'hood.

The nooks and crannies of the streets above Washington Square Park are very interesting to stroll through. Crazy staircases, hidden alleys, parakeets screeching in the sky above and incredible views of the Bay make for a fun night of walking.

A big topic of conversation tonight at the various doors was W's pardon of Libby. The People are not amused. They know exactly why he did what he did, and they are disgusted that lying about the leak of a covert operative's name is really no big deal to this Administration. Craven is the only way to describe W's actions.

In fact, this type of behavior by the President goes a long way in motivating people to sign up for the ACLU. So thanks Dubs, you helped us rock tonight! Here's a little perspective on how the political systems works, too. Conscientious objector spends 15 months in prison. Convicted perjurer gets nothin'.

Also, check out this interesting case of The People standing up for their rights. Silver Spring, MD leased a street to a private developer, and that developer has banned photography. However, there is no law prohibiting photography there. Yesterday 100 photographers showed up to test their civil liberties. (via boingboing.net)

Last offering for tonight is a funny little cartoon about how Dems are Cats and Repubs are Dogs.

Called Out

2007-07-04T01:58:00.001-07:00

So here's what Olberman thinks W's and Cheney should give us as their Independence Day present. Their resignations.

Remember What This Day Means

2007-07-04T01:26:00.000-07:00

(this entire text was taken from ushistory.org)

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

hen in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.

— John Hancock

New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samuel Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Democrats Respond

2007-07-03T00:39:00.001-07:00

Here's a nice roundup of responses to Bush commuting Libby's sentence.

Denied

2007-07-02T22:51:00.000-07:00

Well tonight was decidedly not awesome. Definitely the worst night I've had out there, and I'm not quite sure what I was doing wrong. Talked to about 50 people, but most of them waved me off before I could even get going. A few listened but then declined. A few others were actively anti-ACLU, and one old man even called the group "a bunch of criminals" and me a "bastard." There was spittle involved. It wasn't pretty.

I did talk to a couple of individuals that were members, but neither of them wanted to donate again tonight.

It's my first night since I started where I made $0. I guess the streak had to end sometime, but I'm not thrilled it was this week, which is only 4 days because of the 4th on Wednesday. Some people are working on Saturday to make up for it, but Lu and I will be north and east, at the High Sierra Music Festival. Really looking forward to that!

The 'hood I was in was nice, but there was definitely a conservative bent to the locale. The view was rather awesome, though, with SFO down below in the distance, right next to the water. Sunset was gorgeous, and it was fun to watch the planes take off and land.

I think the part that bothers me the most isn't even the lack of new members, but rather the fact that almost no one even wanted to give me the time of day. I was a lonesome ghost rattling the chains of constricted liberty tonight, but the hood I haunted was empty of empathy.

PS... to say that I'm disgusted by Dubs would be a vast understatement. I'm not at all surprised he commuted Libby's sentence, but it's still a complete miscarriage of justice.

Though I Wander Through the Valley of Lucas...

2007-06-28T22:50:00.001-07:00

Great night in the Valley of Lucas up in San Rafael. All it takes is one person to make a night go from craptacular to splediferous. First bunch of people were either a) extremely not interested, or b) actively anti-ACLU. But then I knocked on another enormous door and the nice gentleman that opened it not only joined as a monthly contributor, but also upped my request by $30 a month! He's in for $50 every month, and that completely rocked my world. He had protested the Vietnam War in his youth and he was very happy to join up with the ACLU tonight.

Weather was absolutely off the hook. Hot and breezy, which is a wonderful combination, followed by a gusty eve that gave way to a spectacular moonrise over the hills in the distance.

There were two people that I talked to who responded in ways I had never heard before.

The first one said that he used to be like me, but that he was getting old and he had lost faith in the political process. Instead, he told me, he was focusing on his Inner Journey. We had a nice conversation, though, and he suggested I pick up All and Everything. And I just might do that.

The guy at the very next house simply said, "I'm done with the system. Done with it." I tried to talk about the ACLU again, but before I could even speak he just repeated himself. "I'm done with it!" And then my demeanor changed. I wished him a good night, and then he transformed as well, leaving the dour rage he was expressing behind to become smiley and cordial as I left.

It was also early in the evening when I spoke to an older man that had nothing but disgust for the ACLU. I quickly realized there was no chance of winning him over, so instead I just told him how much I liked his sundial. After that he was very nice and I learned that he had to reset the position of the numbers to reflect daylight savings. Pretty cool.

There's also important/insane stuff to talk about with Ws and Darth Cheney's refusal to comply with a Congressional subpoena, but that's rage inducing, and I gotta sleep at some point. More on that tomorrow and this weekend.

Secrets and Lies

2007-06-28T00:32:00.000-07:00

Welcome back! Cheney's part of the Executive branch again. Oh how we've missed you. Now release your fucking secret files and stop screwin' around.

Personal and Real

2007-06-27T01:09:00.000-07:00

There were Redwoods in the yards of the Palo Altians I canvassed tonight. They were in various yards the other nights we were down there, but I forgot to mention it. Which is weird, because the Redwood-Tree-in-yard phenomenon is something I would like to be a part of. If there's a cooler tree out there, I don't want to know about it.

1 new member tonight, who also elected to be "Sustainer." Which means he will be giving a modest contribution every month for the next year. That makes him a serious member. That makes him a Guardian of Liberty. If you want to be one of those, too, let me know. One other person donated, as well, but she did not want to become an official member, yet. But at least she knows we're out there, now.

Met a cat tonight. His name was Stormy. Our first encounter was on his driveway, where he told me that he liked headrubs. Since I have a cat of my own that thinks headrubs are second only to food, I knew where Stormy was coming from. On my stroll back along the other side of the block, Stormy stopped by again, and I chilled with him on the corner while I sat for a bit and drank some water. Of course there were more headrubs. Clearly he deserved them.

It is very interesting to be an observer of a neighborhood for a few hours. I've learned the ebb and flow of suburbia in a way I've not noticed for a long time. And the last time, it was as a participant, back when I was young. Now having lived in cities for many years, this environment is both striking in its vast difference from urban life, and powerfully familiar as the setting for my childhood.

The coolest thing I saw today was a prefabbed skateboard ramp. Re-enforced, slightly sloping plastic about a foot high, with a perfect curve and lip. And wouldn't you know it? Seeing it for the first time tonight, I actually saw 3 of them. 2 at one house with a block in the middle, making an excellent street skateboarding prop; then a third one, alone, near a stationary skateboard at a house about an hour later. I would have wanted one of those back when I was 14. Instead we had to figure out how to build them.

Next time I won't have to just describe an awesome little find like that. Lu found our missing camera, so from now on expect images from the street. There are so many cool details of the world I get to study in between blowing minds. I'm really excited about adding some images to this chronicle of canvassing.

Oh and my knuckles hurt today. I like the knock instead of the ring or door-knocker. The knuckle-knock seems more personal and real. And seriously people, if I'm anything, I'm personal and real.

Scorcher

2007-06-25T22:50:00.000-07:00

Hot out there in the suburbs. And that heat was highlighted even further with the billowing clouds of gray smoke pouring from the hills above Palo Alto. Helicopters, planes, streets blocked off by police and crazy traffic proved that there was a major fire up there. For several hours as I walked the tree-shaded blocks I could see the smoke wafting up into the sky.

We were only a few blocks away from where we last canvassed the suburbs, but the people in this area were much, much nicer. Had a whole bunch of great conversations and even got 4 people to become members. That's a great way to start off the week.

ACLU Day of Action in DC tomorrow. Looking forward to the news coverage of that!

And if you're for habeas corpus, you're against Mitt Romney. He's got a great big hard-on for Gitmo. He doesn't quite seem to get that holding people indefinitely without charging them with a crime or allowing them to stand before a judge and defend themselves goes against everything that America is founded upon.

Also, big props to Illinois Congressman Rahm Emanuel. He's going to introduce an amendment that will cut off funding to Darth Cheney's office. Since Sith Lord Cheney has claimed that the VP's office is not part of the Executive branch, then the office should not be funded through the Executive branch. Which of course belies the utter stupidity of Cheney's claim.

Started training to be a Field Manager today. I'm psyched. I like being in charge and I think I'll do well in that role. I'm 10 years older than nearly everyone else in the office, so it does kinda make sense to have a leadership role.

Alright, time for my daily dose the Daily Show!

The Gatekeeper

2007-06-25T10:57:00.001-07:00

The 'military commissions' that stripped prisoners of their habeas corpus rights started with Cheney. The man is a menace to democracy! 3 more parts forthcoming from the Washington Post. Stay tuned.

We The People

2007-06-22T18:49:00.000-07:00

A big thank you to Noe Valley today. Tons of ACLU members, lots of people that stopped to talk, and several that decided to go ahead and join on up. One gentleman was quite generous and made my day and week! (as well as the ACLU's.) It was a great Friday in that regard.

Not so good that The W. House decided *not* to have that Gitmo meeting that was leaked to the press yesterday, and initially tried to deny that it had anything to do with the news report. More from Think Progress here.

Here's another news report about habeas corpus (or the lack thereof), and then here is a short essay that very succinctly describes what is at stake. Currently, every single citizen in this country is living without one of the most essential rights of American Democracy.

You have been for several years now. It's not going to change unless we do something about it. Us. We. The government is supposed to work FOR us, not against us. Habeas corpus is essential for our society to continue to function and thrive. We must have it back. Next week we're demanding it, again.

Considering Justice

2007-06-22T01:10:00.001-07:00

More good news. The pressure is starting to work. Dubs is considering closing Guantanamo and moving the prisoners to US prisons to face trial. They might even get some habeas corpus kicked down to'em. If they're cool and the gang about it all.

So great how it only took 5 years for him to consider this. What a visionary. What a leader!

Annnnd... ACTION!

2007-06-22T00:26:00.000-07:00

Next Tuesday (6/26/07) is an ACLU Day of Action. These are the demands: "We the people demand that Congress hold this administration accountable for its actions and demand the restoration of habeas corpus and all our constitutional rights." Pretty simple, eh? Between the ACLU and other groups 140,000 signatures have been collected. And they are going to deliver those signatures in DC on Tuesday.

Add yours here.

But if you can't make it to DC to participate, there are events in many cities across the country. In SF it's at the London Wine Bar in the Fugazy building at 413 Sansome Street. Attendees will get a free drink for writing a letter to their member of congress. 6-9pm. While you guys are whooping it up at the bar, I'll be out knocking on doors and interrupting dinner.

Got to do that in suburbia tonight. Nice cars out there. Well watered lawns, and wide, tree covered streets with prominently marked bike paths. Met a few superduper oldskool ACLUers. One woman first joined in 1947. Another cool old dude was already a member, but still decided to help out again tonight. Unfortunately most of the parental middle-agers I encountered, behind the threshold of their castles, were too busy with their lives to chat for a few moments.

There were two great lines of the night for me. The first was from a harried woman who opened the door and told me "I don't have time. My bird is flying around in here and I just... don't have time," before quickly shutting the door in my face. The second was from a Dad playing with his 2 kids in the street. He said, "Whatever it is, I'm sure I'm not interested." And when I told him I was from the ACLU, he proved himself right.

The contrasts in this neighborhood were fascinating. On the one hand there were many who could could not care less about what I was talking about. And then on the other hand there were a few with a long-time commitment to the ACLU, and a deep knowledge its amazing accomplishments.

My liberty mojo was off tonight. I think suburbia tweaked me a little bit. Next time, they're mine.

The Great Writ

2007-06-21T00:38:00.000-07:00

Anthony D. Romero is the Executive Director of the ACLU. This is a post by him that describes exactly what I'm bothering people about all day. Happy Belated Bday Habeas Corpus! Although it's really quite horrible that the 'unlawful combatants' in Guantanamo Bay have been utterly denied these basic rights.

Lessons

2007-06-20T18:18:00.000-07:00

Okay the Mission hipsters need to stop worrying about updating their myspace page with photos of their new tattoo and take five seconds to pay attention to some real issues. And dudes, you are all 35+, the dirtbike gang cruising Valencia at 2 in the afternoon is so played. Specially you with the bananaseat and big handlebars.

Alright, maybe I wished I was riding a fun bike on a gorgeous afternoon with my friends. And I suppose I did dodge the Greenpeace canvassers up the block without listening to their rap. I think next time, no matter what, when I see another canvassers, I'm gonna at least let them talk it out and maybe even throw them a few bucks. Shit. Now I feel bad. Next time for sure.

See, I learned something today. How beautiful. And I signed up one more member. A sustainer taboot (taboot). That's ACLU income alllll year.

But politics is still fucking crazy. More on that later.

Minds in Motion

2007-06-20T00:17:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a good night. 4 more people signed on, and even better, I got to talk to a whole bunch of people that were both interested and outraged at what's been going on. Most of them elected not to become members this evening, but I could see their brains working as I wished them a good evening and continued on.

One thing I did notice is that I am absolutely without any nervousness when I ring these bells. I've been doing presentations and speaking in front of people for various reasons for a long time, but it wasn't until tonight that I realized just how thoroughly it does not bother me. I suppose being a waiter was perfect training for this. I certainly never felt nervous walkin' up to my next table, but I kinda thought it would be different out there on the street.

It's not. Same thing exactly.

Each time before I ring the bell--just like each time I stepped to a new table--the only thing that goes through my mind is "What kind of person am I going to meet now?"

Tonight it was a whole bunch of good ones, and I'm really quite thankful that they all gave me a few moments of their time to talk about some very important issues facing this country. Sure, I need them to sign up so I hit my quota and get paid slightly more. But seeing the difference between last night's consecutive blowoffs and tonight's great conversations, it proved to me that setting these minds in motion is even more rewarding than the money alone.

I like this job. We've just got to make sure we're getting out of there on time. Leaving late every night definitely puts a bit of a negative vibe on otherwise great shifts.

Back on the street corner tomorrow. I can't wait to hear what wonderful excuses people come up with to justify their apathy. Lunch can wait 2 minutes! Let's chat about some really important shit, first. Although it might ruin your appetite, it very well could ignite your conscience, and believe me, that's a great thing. A lit conscience is a first step toward change. And we need a lot of change right now.

Charge!

2007-06-19T01:34:00.000-07:00

Suckass night on the hills of SF. Got waved away without even an open door so many times I wondered if I was sneering instead of smiling. But I practiced in the darkened glass of the empty homes and I knew my smile was bright and sincere.

A huge tree behind the hill I trudged up raged in the wind as the fog gathered behind which was ready to pounce once the sun finished setting. It had to be 40 mile and hour winds up there tonight. The whole time I was canvassing the neighborhood, the wind on that enormous tree made a sound like a plane landing, for 2 hours!

I have a feeling that wind blew the mojo right out from within my ACLU t-shirt.

Finally on the second pass through the 'hood, I found two concerned, outraged individuals that decided tonight was the night to become part of the solution. Without them, my tally sheet would have a big fat zero in the total box and that's never fun.

The worst part, though, wasn't the lack of new members. It was the lack of interesting, engaging conversations that really bothered me. On a night I can't get people to sign up, at the very least I do want them to listen for a few moments 'cause otherwise I'm just a lowly doorbell tester.

Turned out that no one had a very good night. That is, except for one guy, who happened to reel in a donation quite a bit larger than I would ever expect. He didn't even get to the 'Ask' part. This generous individual just whipped out their checkbook and wrote 6 numbers in a row, including a decimal. I suppose if I test enough doorbells, a few of them will be winners!

Five doors before I was done as nine 0'clock rolled closer, I heard a child practicing the trumpet. Duh nah nah nah nah-naaaaah!! he or she bugled falteringly, and in my head I finished the call, hoping it would bring me renewed vigor to my final doors. Charge I did, but in the end, my donation sheet and I were routed, soundly.

Looks like Field Manager is in my future. And I just signed the forms that let me drive for the organization. I'm cool with that. It'll be fun to get out of the city and helpfully harass some suburban folk. I hear they have good lemonade.

Grab Line

2007-06-18T10:18:00.000-07:00

Out with the tourists on Friday, and it was an education. I'd say it was about 60% Dem / 40% Repub out there. Quite a few people replied to my grab line saying "I like it!", or "I support Bush!" Certainly more people than on the day we stood in the middle of the Castro.

Oh and here's the line we're using to start the conversation: "Hi there! Would you like to help stop President Bush's abuse of power?" Most just shake their heads and smile as they walk by. Some laugh outright. Others reply ruefully, "You can't stop it!" A few do stop to chat, though, and most leave slightly shocked by the facts I'm telling'em. A couple of times on Friday it even moved them to the point of action, and now there are several more card-carrying members of the ACLU out there.

Here's some recent news about said abuse of power. The White House has been using RNC email accounts to avoid oversight. They used the RNC accounts instead of White House accounts because White House accounts can be subpoenaed, and it is illegal to destroy any official White House emails. By using the RNC accounts, they hoped to avoid scrutiny. Surprised? Yeah me neither. Here's the meat of the story:

The Presidential Records Act requires the President to “take all such steps as may be necessary to assure that the activities, deliberations, decisions, and policies that reflect the performance of his constitutional, statutory, or other official or ceremonial duties are adequately documented … and maintained as Presidential records.” To implement this legal requirement, the White House Counsel issued clear written policies in February 2001 instructing White House staff to use only the official White House e-mail system for official communications and to retain any official e-mails they received on a nongovernmental account.

The evidence obtained by the Committee indicates that White House officials used their RNC e-mail accounts in a manner that circumvented these requirements. At this point in the investigation, it is not possible to determine precisely how many presidential records may have been destroyed by the RNC. Given the heavy reliance by White House officials on RNC e-mail accounts, the high rank of the White House officials involved, and the large quantity of missing e-mails, the potential violation of the Presidential Records Act may be extensive.

This is just one more example of an Administration gone batshit insane. I hope they face legal repercussions. If anyone can make a difference in this fight, it's the ACLU, and it feels great to building their ranks.

Boo!

2007-06-14T22:49:00.000-07:00

What an amazing night! I got to wear shorts until 10pm and the sunset turned the sky a massive splash of pink before fading into endless purple. Perfect breeze, utterly cloudless, a truly beautiful SF eve.

I didn't really have to rock any hills tonight, but the block I was on had houses and apartments with the doors at least a story off the street. That's a lot of steps! But I like it 'cause it got my heart pumping and my legs working. I'm going to be in better shape after one month of this than I have been in a long time (maybe ever?) Another bonus.

I've begun to notice the little things about each of the houses. How the metal numbers nailed to the door have bled and run down the wood. Days of papers discarded in a heap on front porch that's never used because they go in through the garage. One house had a peculiar smell as I tromped up the front steps. It wasn't awful, but it did smell slightly tangy and old.

The funniest moment of the night happened early, while it was still a bright afternoon. I was on a porch that had 4 doors to 4 different apartments. I rang the buzzer to my left and waited. While waiting I heard commotion from the door on the other side of the porch behind me. I turned to speak to the person exiting, but only got about halfway around before the door swung open and a woman began to step out.

But she did not expect me to be standing there. Not at all.

She screamed, convulsed and reared back, shocked that I was on her porch. I scared the absolute shit out of her to the point that her fear scared me, and I jumped back because of her extreme reaction. Of course I apologized and said that I was there from the ACLU, but I most definitely did not try to canvass her. She skittered away, barely looking at me, but I chuckled a few times throughout the night remembering our shared, contagious panic.

$20 off my goal for the eve, but I talked to a lot of great people and definitely got a few of them to go and learn more about the extreme injustice our government is perpetrating. If I can't get their money, I can at least get their minds.

ACLU update (NSL and MCA)

2007-06-14T11:47:00.000-07:00

The National Security Letters that the FBI uses to spy are "still too weak," according to the ACLU, and that "it doubted the new guidelines will be sufficient to protect the privacy of Americans."

But there has been good news re: the Military Commissions Act. Nice to see the Senate Judiciary Committee taking some action.

Off to hit the hills in a few hours. Not sure where we're going tonight, but it's friggin hot out there. (or so reports the wife). Dressing for the fickle weather of San Francisco is not easy. On Tuesday it was nice all day, then right at sunset the wind picked up and the temperature dropped fast. I was on the streets above Noe which made it especially blustery, and I was not prepared for the cold. But about a half an hour later as dusk really sunk in, I noticed the wind had stopped completely and it was actually rather warm again. I'm hoping it stays warm all night, but I'm bringing a hat just in case.

Libby to Lockup, Soon

2007-06-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

Alright! Libby's going to prison while he waits for appeal. The judge denied the defense's motion to allow him to stay out of jail while the appeals process rolls on. He will have to report in 6-8 weeks, but my money is on a pardon from the Preznit. And if it doesn't happen now, you can bet your sweet ass that it'll be the last thing Dubs does as he's leaving office. Despicable.

A Spring in my Sore Steps

2007-06-14T01:34:00.001-07:00

I started this post complaining about the people that didn't stop to talk to me today. But that's the wrong approach. That's not where I should be focusing right off the bat. I have to be patient with the masses. Until yesterday, I was one of them. Until yesterday I blew past every canvasser on the planet without so much as a glance. Time was something I didn't have much of, and money even less.

Some did stop, though. Some did take a moment to listen, many expressed support even as they passed, and a few gems even went so far as to step up and become members. I signed one person to be a monthly contributor to the ACLU, and with that signature, I went from a 'trainee' to 'staff'. I'm very happy to be officially on the team.

It was hot out there today, but as tired as I was from standing and walking for hours on end, I found somewhere a spring for my steps that bounced me all the way home.

This is the first time I have ever been a grassroots activist, and it feels really fucking good. My legs, however, are sore as hell. There are hills in my future tomorrow and many doorbells to be rung. I hope they are ready for me. I am definitely ready for them.

Green

2007-06-13T00:25:00.000-07:00

I've been selling things for many years, but this is the first time I've ever rang a doorbell with justice on my side.

As a waiter, selling and serving food felt good.

As a newspaper salesman, selling subscriptions seemed useful.

As a recruiter I enjoyed the fact that I was helping people get jobs.

Today was the first time I felt proud, even though I was getting paid less than shit.

I probably should have done this 10 years ago, but eh, fuck it, now's good too.