So I went to the Howard Dean meetup tonight, and — well, let me put it this way: I don’t think I’ve ever been in a room with that many people I wasn’t related to whose politics were so similar to mine. :)
There were 16 or 18 of us — and that, for Alaska in the summertime, is a genuinely remarkable number. Everyone expressed the same frustrations with the state of the nation, with our terrifying so-called leader, with — well. You guys know the drill.
There was, of course, a lot of talk about Dean’s politics and our general hopes and the state of the art determination to do *something*, because we just cannot let Bush get back into the White House. Somebody said, “If he gets a second term,” and a full half of the people said, “I’m leaving the country.”
I’ve registered alaskansfordean.org, and I’m planning on putting an MT blog on it and encouraging people to use it as a repository for information that’s going on locally (state-wide) about the Dean campaign, and hopefully to start an online community around here. That ought to be up and running sometime next week.
So yah. I’m glad I went. I’ll be going to more of those.
One cool idea that came up: since 9/11, every time I’ve seen a flag blatantly pinned on somebody’s car, I’ve gone, “Mutter rassle right-wing bastard…” Well, somebody said, y’know, the right’s hijacked the flag and the left should hijack it back. Go ahead and put a flag on your car. Right next to a Howard Dean bumper sticker.
I really like that idea. A lot. I might actually *do* it, and three hours ago I’d have said you’d never get me to put a flag on my car. I think it’s a really great idea, though!
Marith has just suggested a fundraiser in which everybody is supposed to show up in denim — “Jeans for Dean!” I think that’s a really good idea, too!
Chanti and I went for a walk (in non-political news) this evening, and I’m glad. Like Jai, I should remember that I feel better after walking.
miles to Rivendell: 128.5
I’m rather liking Dean myself. Supposedly he’s speaking in these parts next month, so I may go check that out. It would be SOOOOO nice to have a candidate I actually LIKE, rather than having to choose the lesser of evils again.
At this point, I think even the lesser of evils is worth voting for, given that the greater evil is Bush.
I have to agree with Trip. I’ll vote for ANYONE other than Bush at the moment, and if they do a few more things I like, it’s just icing on the cake.
See, this whole flag thing….I’ve always thought you were too hard on people, and tarring everyone (including yours truly) with the same brush. :)
I find, honestly, that I rather /like/ seeing the flag in so many places these days. I’d be happier if many of the people who had flags on their cars didn’t then drive like complete flaming assholes. But there’s not much I can do about that.
I’ve never looked at the flag as a ‘right’ or ‘left’ symbol, really. And I suspect that 80% or more of the people who now display one aren’t doing so with that intent either. :)
What, me, quick to judge? Say it isn’t so. :)