I expect simple behaviours here. Friendship, and love. Any advice should be from the perspective of the person asking, not the person giving! We have had to make new membership moderated to combat the huge number of spammers who register
Location: US/Canada
Registered: September 2009
Messages: 733
Lady Gaga rallied her fans and they responded. The following videos show that you can make a difference. If you are in the United States, please call your Senator...Let's get DADT repealed!
Call your senator and ask them to repeal don't ask don't tell! get all your friends to call too, and random people, whoever! leave messages till the answering machine is full! DEMAND EQUALITY!!!!
The power continues. Sen. Michael Bennet responds by YouTube to the girls in the clip above.
So you're telling me that convincing one of the more left Democrat Senators of something that he was probably already convinced of somehow shows that people can make a difference?
Why don't we all call Rand Paul and ask him to vote for against tax increases...
The value of this campaigning isn't that a left-wing Senator responded it's that the girls were talking about the issue amongst their friends. Of course most college students are going to disagree with DADT anyway... So I don't know they've really changed anyone's mind at all, but at least they activated their friends through grassroots mechanisms.
I just think that effective campaigning should be focused on trying to make a difference by targeting swing voting Senators that have a record of voting against party lines. And talking to friends and family that haven't given DADT much thought, explaining why they should be opposed to it. They are the people you should be convincing. A bunch of lefties convincing a bunch of lefties why DADT is wrong reminds me of this episode of South Park.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
Location: U.S.
Registered: November 2009
Messages: 630
Actually Saben I think Brody's point is that ALL voters who oppose DADT should contact THEIR Senators and demand a change. This was just a clever example of how it might be done.
The girls in the video barely look old enough to vote and I think it was kind of the Senator to respond to them. The fact that he agrees probably makes them feel good, kids are like that.
I seriously doubt if Rand Paul has had an original thought in the past twenty years. But sure, he needs to know what we the people want, and if enough of us bang on his door then he'll get the message.
The U.S. Government is made up of two groups, politicians and civil servants. Guess which group really runs the government? Elected officials come and go, the janitors are there for life.
[Updated on: Thu, 16 September 2010 18:20]
Age appears to be best in four things; old wood best to burn, old wine to drink, old friends to trust, and old authors to read. (Sir Francis Bacon 1561-1626)
There are three types of politicians:
One type is ideological and won't change their mind no matter what.
One type is poll-driven and won't change their minds unless it's in their electoral interests to.
One type is reasoned and will change their mind if they see a persuasive argument.
I'd say 95% of politicians fall in the first two groups.
Change people's opinions and you'll get the second group on board. I don't think there's a critical mass of people against DADT, though. Polling seems pretty mixed. Until then it'll either be opposed by a left-wing Democrat government pushing legislation through, despite the opposition, or it won't be changed until public opinion changes.
Either way it still comes back to my earlier point about promoting change just by being gay. Unless you're fund-raising or donating to a cause. Money speaks. It's the most effective means of campaigning.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway
"An April 2009 CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll showed that 48% of Americans approved of the DADT policy, 8% believed that the policy was too lenient on gays, while 37% believed that the policy was too harsh."
Change that first, the politics will follow.
Look at this tree. I cannot make it blossom when it suits me nor make it bear fruit before its time [...] No matter what you do, that seed will grow to be a peach tree. You may wish for an apple or an orange, but you will get a peach.
Master Oogway