The Activist Diaries, Part 1

    So a lot of bloggers out there write on politics. But they mostly get their material from traditional media outlets. This means their work is extra removed from realities in the public sphere. I herebye begin the blog of a professional activist. I work 40 hours a week as a grassroots organizer. That means I go door-to-door 4-5 hours a night, and spend 4-5 hours a day doing in-depth research on policies and current event that effect the work that I do. As a pro, then, I dedicate a huge amount of time to knowing what's going on, and as a canvasser have access to a huge cross section of public opinion and feeling that no one but other canvassers have. For my first entry, I'll outline my resume, and provide a screed on canvassing in general.

My career in politics got started in 2001, when I spent the summer working for Ohio Citizen Action, one of the oldest and most successful environmental lobbies in the country. The average lifespan of an OCA canvasser is one day. I was there for four months before I went away to school. Our major campaign when I was there was on River Valley School in Marion Ohio. The campus of this school was built on property the school board had bought on the cheap from the Army Corps of Engineers. Turns out it was cheap because there was a toxic waste dump a few feet under the topsoil. Surprisingly enough, god-awful byproducts were leaking into the water supplies and causing unholy levels of cancer in the students and faculty. OCA was the organizing force behind tens of thousands of letters to state and federal officials, rallies, demonstrations, and etc. We eventually got the school moved, and the Ohio EPA investigated for negligence over the issue.

I took a break from canvassing for four years after that, because I was in Canada, learning about literature.

This winter, I got involved with the Hackett for Ohio U.S. Senate campaign, and did community organizing to recruit volunteers as well as fundraising. Hackett had to bow out however, under intense pressure from Party leadership. From there, I went on to Working America. This is an Affiliate of the AFL-CIO. We are a membership-based citizens lobby. I do recruitment work. The Washington people have had a great deal of success in the last couple of years fighting Bush's attempts to destroy America. We protected workers in New Orleans from his attempt to nullify the Davis Bacon Prevailing wage law. We also helped to stop him from privatizing social security.

So basically, canvassers work to protect Americans from corruption and greed in business and government. This brings me to my next topic:

Be Nice to Canvassers.
A lot of otherwise reasonable and pleasant people, when I tell them what I do for a living, tell me that if I knocked on their door, would send me away immediately. They give a lot of reasons for this: that they work long hours and wish to be left alone at home. That they don't want to be confronted with all these problems, when they have troubles of their own. That canvassers intrude on their privacy.
    This is all self-indulgent bullshit. It was Justice Thurgood Marshall who said "Canvassing is an institution essential to the preservation of the freedoms of our society."
    It is part of a canvassers job to contact at least 40 people a night. A canvasser will never take more than two minutes to get you involved, unless you make it take longer. Besides, most people, when they get home, watch TV or listen to the radio. When you do these things, you are being bombarded with sales pitches way more violent and obnoxious than what a canvasser will present you with. Canvassers are out there to inform people about what's going on in their world, to offer individuals an opportunity to help improve the quality of life for out entire country. We are offering people a valuable service. We are bringing the best of democracy right to your door. And if you have problems of your own, chances are they are intertwined with larger problems. For example, if you got laid off recently, it probably has something to do with the fact that over a million jobs a year are being outsourced to China and South America. If a family member is sick, and you're having trouble getting them the care they need, it probably has something to do with the fact that we have the most expensive and inefficient healthcare system in the industrialized world. Get involved with the source of the problem, instead of just feeling sorry for yourself while you watch reruns of friends. Even if you disagree with what the canvasser at your door is fighting for, at least acknowledge that, especially in this day and age, political involvement is absolutely necessary, and encourage it.
     Please don't slam the door in our face. Listen to what we have to say. Be polite. Offer a glass of water. Even better, kick us five bucks, because we have quotas to make, and five bucks won't break your bank. That's the only way that grassroots work stays alive, and sometimes, like with River Valley Schools, or the prevailing wage laws, or social security, grassroots work is all that stands between us and serious, lasting harm.

That's it for today. Check back often, though. I'll share stories funny and sad, inspiring and discouraging, and sometimes informative. I hear a lot of perspectives in any given night, and I'll share many of them with you, right here.

Thanks for reading.
Sincerely,
Your Friendly Neighborhood Organizer

Comments: 2

Jessica Rubinstein Feb 26, 2006, 4:59pm UTC

Hear, here. If you read this article, then you're probably like me and get most of your input about the world on the web. It's actually nice to find a few people willing to get out of the house and make live, personal contact on a topic you might be interested in, face to face. You can even DISAGREE with these guys...which God knows you can't do with people who say dumb stuff at work!

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Captain Ken Pothier Feb 26, 2006, 6:32pm UTC

So real no spin and I admire you and the dedication you bring to the table.
I am shocked and saddened by what Happened to Hackett for Ohio-I do not understand what is going on when we need independent outspoken candidates. Perhaps you have some helpful insight to share. I also believe that Ohio was cheated in the last election. Voting was suppressed and perhaps machines. Fake posed recount too. So good to hear from your perspective and I look forward to more. Peace!

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The Activist Diaries, Part 1

Comments: 2

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