dagblog - Comments for "Running For Office Week 2.5"

Following from CVille, my

PeraclesPlease — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 19:57:46 +0000

In reply to It's interesting, many of the

Following from CVille, my guess is like any conference it'll be useful if you're prepared & actively set to network your ass off in a way you can't via internet (or if it even matters for what you need to put local structure together).

My further guess is that similar to post-Anita Hill, there's going to be a huge amount of righteous female anger welling up to harness this year, and it might be useful to get some energy off that to see you through the days of grind to come - presuming DC doesn't get diverted into a bunch of hey-ho hey-ho useless chanting and what-not.

And while you may be thinking of what *you* get out of it, having a sense of your spirit & background, it might be more important that you're organized and figure out what you can give to others who might be enthused but not as practical (and who *is* handling the infosystems and data analytics anyway?)

Anyway, just some presumptuous thoughts.

Good going, Teri! So excited

Ramona — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 19:56:39 +0000

In reply to Running For Office Week 2.5

Good going, Teri! So excited for you and can't wait to hear more about your adventures in the political world. I was a precinct delegate for a number of years--my only foray into politics--and I remember as a newbie embarrassing myself at a meeting in Lansing by asking how I should go about finding out how the voters wanted me to vote. I thought I would have to go door-to-door to ask them. Everyone kind of laughed but I still think asking voters what they want is an excellent idea. Not that you can satisfy every one of them, but at least they feel like they're part of the process.

Good luck and have fun!

For what it's worth, I think

CVille Dem — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 18:21:45 +0000

In reply to It's interesting, many of the

For what it's worth, I think your time would be better spent locally. I wrote about my experience at the Rally to Resstore sanity (Stephen Colbert and John Stewart). It was really fun and very inspiring, but IMO it accomplished nothing except as a "feel good" experience for all of us. Once it was over it was over. It certainly didn't RESTORE SANITY!

That said, if the march were scheduled for any time prior to the 20th instead of the 21st, I might go myself. I cant imagine what they think they will accomplish after the fact. My greatest fear is that my son, who never saw an argument that he didn't want to join in on, is planning to go to the inauguration and boo loudly. At this point my only hope is for a game-changing recount, or perhaps a unicorn.

I am convinced that we need healthy and greatly fertilized grass-roots efforts. I will put my money where my keyboard is, so be sure and get your fund-raising in order!

If you go, you will surely have a great time and get very inspired, so I wish you luck regardless of your choice!

Yes, just trying to improve

PeraclesPlease — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 16:44:19 +0000

In reply to Conflict elicits click. We

Yes, just trying to improve the marketplace of ideas and spirit of cooperation. Certainly the knee-jerk reactions aren't just from one clique, but the level of self-destructive internecine fighting among Democrats and like-minded continues to be a problem leading to lack of turnout or worse, even acknowledging if the white female or Hispanic vote had gone towards Hillary the way that black males went, much less black women, it would have been a runaway.

Conflict elicits click. We

rmrd0000 — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 16:19:55 +0000

In reply to Understood (it was included

Conflict elicits click. We spent time on a Muslim-American glad that Trump was elected because it proves his point. The fact that the overwhelming majority of Muslims voted for Hillary gets lost. Some black women object to the march, others are fully supportive. There will always be differing opinions and people who take offense.

Understood (it was included

PeraclesPlease — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 15:47:39 +0000

In reply to There are black women who are

Understood (it was included in the link I enclosed as well), but somehow we need to learn how not to dismiss an idea in its first 12 seconds, and work around any issues that need to be addressed. We've had the Sanders class-vs-race bit, the Hillary too-white/not-feminist-of-color back in 2008, etc. Also, the name of the event - while probably the MLK march has some almost sacrosanct significance, there's a question whether we think of an event as owned by a particular class, or does it start belonging to humanity itself as some kind of generic phrase like "race to the moon"? Or can we at least discuss it without getting offended first and intransigent second?

There are black women who are

rmrd0000 — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 15:34:05 +0000

In reply to Found what I was looking for

There are black women who are suspicious of white feminists. The attack on. the name of the march arose because there was a previous Million Woman March led by black women in 1997. There are 3 black women now involved in the leadership of the planned January march. The situation may be less dire than the link above portrays.

http://www.vox.com/identities/2016/11/21/13651804/women-march-washington...

Coalitions are difficult. When Sanders talks about identity politics, blacks are wary that they are about to be thrown under the bus. When people talk about working class voters, blacks sense that it is white workers being discussed and that working class blacks are invisible.

It's interesting, many of the

tmccarthy0 — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 15:09:03 +0000

In reply to Found what I was looking for

It's interesting, many of the women I know who are thinking about going are more privileged financially, but they happen to be a culturally diverse group. Some of the women I know are very outspokenly activist, I think it is because they are lawyers by profession. Others are quietly activist, and that is most women. So they must not be looking directly at us when they see us as just white. But all of these women are seriously considering attending the march.

I am undecided as to whether or not I will take the trip to DC. On the one hand, the solidarity would be exhilarating and meaningful. On the other hand, what purpose does it ultimately serve? Will I be better off staying home and continuing to work on my campaign?

I have taken several steps to first and foremost remove myself from the bubble and trying to immerse myself in local issues. I quit watching all cable news, it isn't really news, and am reading a variety of newspapers, (all of 'em, LOL just kidding), but concentrating first and foremost on local issues. I have a calendar of local events to attend as well. My husband isn't really excited about it but he says he will do what he has to do.

I signed up for the emerge America class, that is a great link!

I will be back again after next the meeting next Thursday and other events next weekend.

Found what I was looking for

PeraclesPlease — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 14:32:29 +0000

In reply to Thanks PP. I will look for

Found what I was looking for - here's another link focused on the upcoming Women's March on Washington - including a link to a training program for Democratic women, Emerge America.

(and as usual, instead of women being able to protest and advocate as one, they get to splinter up and focus on either subfactions or their male mates or some other obligation that always takes precedent over "women for women". There is indeed a special place in hell, and it's called Planet Earth)

To elaborate, because the march was started by "white women", it is already racist, even though they've tried to expand the scope to be more diverse (see below). If the march had been started by black women, Hispanic women, Chinese women, Native American women, Inuit women, Polynesian women, or any other subclass of women in the world, it would be celebrated from the get-go, even if they excluded white women or possibly some other "women of color". See Double Standards. Yay, progressives, yay Democrats.

Is this march inclusive for women of color?

The WMW is an evolving effort and it was founded by white women. These women recognized the need to be truly inclusive, and brought together the national co-chairs, now reflected a balanced representation. The teams of organizers and volunteers working for the march, by extension, are now more fully reflective of the diversity of our nation and this trend will continue as we build steam.

As Trump would say, "Not good enough!!!"

Thanks PP. I will look for

tmccarthy0 — Mon, 28 Nov 2016 13:58:36 +0000

In reply to Rayne over at EmptyWheel has

Thanks PP. I will look for that. I have a campaign manager now and I am thinking I should go to the million woman march. I have a girlfriend right there in DC and I can stay with her. Thank you for the link! I need all the help I can get!!