Almost two years ago I was invited to a postcard party, the purpose of which was to get out the vote in Ohio. At that time I asked my fellow bloggers how would they feel about getting a postcard from a stranger reminding them they could vote by mail. Happily most of you said you would at least read it before dumping it into recycling!
As you can see the postcard simply tells people how they can vote by mail.
Sadly, Amy’s district went GOP and sadly the GOP is dead set on making it harder for Amy to vote at all. But we did what we could and we did it nicely. I thought.
Whelp, I did it again. Went to another postcard party along with approximately sixty of my fellow citizens, most of whom I’d never met before. This time the mood was different and the messages we sent were more desperate.
As before, I was only copying the boilerplate text I’d been given. Quite a different message, wouldn’t you say? I added the happy face and the heart . . . too much?
I sat at a table with four women and three men who were all probably beyond sixty, although it was difficult to tell. They talked about their experiences campaigning throughout the state and the country . . . staying in stranger’s houses . . . going door to door in strange neighborhoods . . . trying to spread the word. I must say, their energy was amazing.
Halfway through the session, the organizers came to each table and told us about the March 28 No Kings rally. They’re not planning to march but instead to form a five mile long human chain through Walnut Creek, a city at the base of Mt. Diablo. There will be musicians and organizers every couple of blocks to organize cheers and lead songs. To prepare, there will be sign-making and chant-practicing parties throughout the Bay Area.
Sounds hopeful, doesn’t it? I wish I could say, yes hope was in the air, like the spring blossoming prematurely on that warm day but the atmosphere was much grimmer than two years ago.
I think I know how that band on the deck of the Titanic felt.
Saying nothing in particular 
Keep up the good fight, Jan. We’re in the middle film in the trilogy. Things look their grimmest. We’re in The Empire Strikes Back. But Return of the Jedi is coming!
I wish I had your optimism! But you know the Jedi had magic on their side.
I’m feeling grim as well, especially with that SAVE act in the Senate. I’m 100% that people will vote out MAGA, if given the chance. But perhaps I’m being unrealistic about how cultish that group is? I admire your work with the postcards. John and I have attended every No Kings march/protest so far but he’ll be gone this weekend, so I’m not sure what I’ll do.
It’s mind boggling what’s going on now. Completely nuts.
I’m horribly ignorant of the political system over there so I don’t know what GOP means? No harm in suggesting someone doesn’t waste their vote. What they do is then up to them, but it’s age old rich versus poor, isn’t it?
I’m using GOP sarcastically in reference to the republican party which, having completely capitulated, is now the MAGA party.
GOP used to stand for Grand Old Party.
Where there’s life, there’s hope. I have to believe people have had enough of this administration and will vote their majority out in November. Thanks for fighting and doing what you can.
😊
I got a letter from J.D. Vance asking me to send him money and that is not going to happen.
Oh my! That’s pretty pathetic!
I’ve written postcards in the past too, one “worked,” one didn’t. But I think it’s at least something. I’ll be out with what should be the largest No Kings protest ever (San Diego always has a huge crowd). That 5-mile long human chain should be impactful to see. I am cautiously optimistic.
I’m going to try to get down to the one in Walnut Creek and I’ll take lots of pictures if I do!
What a great idea. Ftr, it does sound hopeful to me. Speaking of which, I would have probably added an angry face.
I was dismayed to see how much glummer this session was than the one two years ago – many people are in deep despair here in the states.
That’s a great initiative. Every little bit helps.
That is the hope … although spirits are really sinking.
I know, but we have to keep our hopes up.
Beautiful cat. We do the postcard thing as well. I don’t know if anything helps anymore. When someone steals an election twice in a row…
Thank you. He is – even in old age and severely overweight! The district we sent the postcards to has historically low voter turnout – a lot of people don’t vote because they don’t think their vote counts. I think that’s a lot of what this effort is trying to change.
Doing something is better than doing nothing. Sometimes I feel despairing about the poverty in South Africa but I still keep making my small contributions.
Best wishes on the 28th…