I had been thinking about it for months, since August or September, maybe.
We have fabulous real estate here in Hagerstown. Big beautiful Victorians with decorative molding and cornices and soaring gables. And so many of them sit empty and crumbling. But the policy we have in place to encourage their restoration - it's falling short...
...and it will always fall short, as long as we lack the vision and energy we need to build a new and vibrant economy here in Hagerstown...
I did a ton of soul-searching since that late summer day when the idea popped into my head. Was I ready to take this on? What were my motivations? What did I really think I could accomplish as City Councilmember? Could I get elected and approach the work from a place of humility?
These were just some of the huge questions I wanted to look at deeply and soberly.
I prayed, I meditated, I consulted people with experience. I began to feel that this was the right thing to do.
To educate myself, I began attending City Council meetings regularly. It REALLY began to feel the right thing to do.
And then, on Inauguration Day - this happened. I had the opportunity to hang out down in D.C with my brother and my dad, who each had a ticket for a practically front row seat to the big swearing-in. I SOOOO badly did want to join them - both because I wanted to be there to see this great moment, and also because I wanted to share the experience with my Dad and brother.
But for me, like for so many people out there, times have gotten pretty hard. I have responded to the hard times by working my ass off. Literally. It's gone. I am assless.
Just kidding. Any ass I lose trying to work my way through the hard times will not be missed. I still have plenty.
Okay, back to the real narrative. Suffice it to say, I am always working these days, (WE are always working these days, my love Diane and I) trying to make ends meet by taking on a variety of jobs (I am blessed, because some of these jobs are very cool - like substitute teaching, or directing a sketch comedy show).
So, on the days leading up to Inauguration Day, I was in that mode - hustling and bustling to make ends meet. Then, as I tried to muster up the energy to head down the road to join my brother and dad, there was that HUGE pile up on route 70, that 42 car pile-up which closed down the Interstate...
...so with fatigue and resignation, I decided to stay up here in the hills. And on Inauguration Morning, I went into the office and worked. And then, at about 11, I was done. A strange, quiet moment - silence, the sound of my schedule clearing up for the day...
I headed for the door. On my way out, I chatted with a few of my office mates, most of whom were thrilled about the Obama-era that was about to dawn.
And, I somewhat nervously told them about my idea to make a run for City Council. My first sort-of public airing of my ideas and vision. My first, sort-of, campaign moment.
My co-workers heard me, and then they told me I should GO FOR IT!
Wow.
Well, what I did was I went home and I watched the Inauguration with my family.
I turned on the television, and I watched Barak Obama and I was so moved by just the sight of it.
And, then I heard the new President say:
Our economy is badly weakened, a consequence of greed and irresponsibility on the part of some, but also our collective failure to make hard choices and prepare the nation for a new age.
And I thought - "Right on!"
And I watched Barak Obama and I was so moved, and I heard him say:
Homes have been lost; jobs shed; businesses shuttered...
and I shuddered.
"...each day brings further evidence that the ways we use energy strengthen our adversaries and threaten our planet."
And I was AMAZED by the new president's ability to capture that dizzyingly complex reality with such concise eloquence.
In reaffirming the greatness of our nation, we understand that greatness is never a given. It must be earned. Our journey has never been one of short-cuts or settling for less. It has not been the path for the faint-hearted — for those who prefer leisure over work, or seek only the pleasures of riches and fame. Rather, it has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things — some celebrated but more often men and women obscure in their labor, who have carried us up the long, rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.
And I was so moved.
I was so moved.
So moved.
And so, I moved.
I had done the soul-searching. I had reached out to mentors and supporters, friends and business associates. And then I had listened to my President -
My President.
NEVER, have I felt sooooo good and connected when I uttering that phrase -
My President!
My President said to me -
What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility — a recognition, on the part of every American, that we have duties to ourselves, our nation, and the world, duties that we do not grudgingly accept but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character, than giving our all to a difficult task.
And I knew what I had to do. It was time to walk through the fear, and call upon the faith. It was time to step up to the Hagerstown City Clerk's counter, and put my name on the ballot.
It is time for me to give my all to a difficult task.
That's right, Hagerstown. You must register by tomorrow to be able to participate in the March 10 primary election for Mayor and City Council.
It is also the deadline to change your address if you are registered somewhere else but have since moved into the City.
You can go register down at the Washington County Board of Elections, 35 West Washington, Room 101.
OR, I would be happy to bring you the form, have you fill it out, and turn it in for you. It would be a good way for me to meet you and see if I can't win your support (I am a candidate for City Council.)
NOT SURE? - you can check your voter registration status here - http://www.mdelections.umd.edu/voter_registration/v2/vote_prod.php.
KNOW ANYONE ELSE WE NEED TO GET REGISTERED AND INVOLVED?? Ask around - ask your friends, your family - post this bulletin on your MySpace and/or FaceBook!
HEY HAGERSTOWN - LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO CHANGE THE WORLD BY WORKING TOGETHER TO CHANGE HAGERSTOWN!!!
Pennsylvania is a critical state in the general election, and polls show a tight race heading into the final weeks of the campaign. We need the support of volunteers each and every day in Pennsylvania to help us reach the voters who are key to winning within the state and nationally.
Sign up today for any day, week or even the entire time between now and Election Day! We need tens of thousands of volunteers for Get Out the Vote Nov. 1 - Nov. 4, so please make sure you sign up for those days as well.
http://my.barackobama.com/page/s/PABorder
Thank you for all that you do. We look forward to seeing you in Pennsylvania!
For the last eight years, we have watched and merely complained while the Bush administration has damaged this country. We were mislead into a foolish war that has killed thousands of Americans and wounded tens of thousands more. Our personal freedoms are under attack. The influence of the wealthy has never been greater in our government. Our children are facing a $9,000,000,000,000 deficit, crippled public schools, a world made more dangerous, skyrocketing health care costs, a potential climate disaster greater than any in recorded human history, and worst of all, a prevailing attitude that the government is for sale and all of these things are beyond their control.
This year, complaining and voting won't be good enough. The opposition to reform is too well established and financed and the fight for the future will be difficult. We can longer just be spectators. The stakes are far too high.
Our government, our freedoms, our livelihood, and our very lives are being sold out to the highest bidder. This must change and it must change now.
We have overcome the British Empire for our freedom, a Civil War that threatened to rip our nation apart, slavery, Imperialism, the Great Depression, fascism, discrimination, and communism. Now we are faced with new threats from without and within. For over two hundred and fifty years, the generations before us have given all they had to make sure America was better place for the generations that followed. They didn't sit back and say it would be too hard, that they really couldn't make a difference. They were Americans. They fought for what they believed in and achieved what was thought to be impossible. That is our heritage. That is what we do. It's time to do it again.
Those who came before us believed that their children deserved a better future than they had and they made it happen. Will our children say the same?
This is just shameful. This shows you what the Obama/Biden campaign is really all about.
Obama claims he is running a campaign opposed to special interest groups. What puts the lie to such claims is this button put out by the Obama campaign:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v343/SGeorge/Obama_polar_bears.jpg
I am so tired of the games that are played by the republican party every four years and I am absolutely disgusted that it actually works. How could anybody even believe that Barack was talking about Palin when he made the "lipstick" remark? How dumb do these people think he is? Even if he felt that way he is smart enough to know what a comment like that would do and would never even dream of saying it! The scary part is that people really buy in to this stuff. People need to start using their heads and stop believing what they see on the television, just because they say it does not make it true!!!! This is part of the reason that this country is in the shape that it is in and it is unacceptable for Americans to continue to acceot these type of politics and it is time for us to rise above all this bulls&%@ and take back our country!!!!!! People have died for our rights and died for our freedoms and we these type of games are played it is a slap in the face for everything they have done. I am ecstatic that Barack has not got himself into any of these games and I hope that, come November, we can finally elect a president that is ready to lead for the people and not just their interests. We as supporters really need to get out and start making some noise and letting people know what is really going on. It is time to rise above!!!!!!!!!!
ASK YOURSELF ONE QUESTION and repeat this question EVERY DAY for the NEXT 60 DAYS:
WHAT DID I DO TO WIN OVER MINDS AND HEARTS FOR OBAMA TODAY?
OR -
DID I SPEND MY TIME PREACHING TO THE CHOIR???
Hi, I'm Lauren, a.k.a the Button Lady. I started selling Obama campaign buttons in mid-july, in Baltimore, Anne Arundel, Howard and PG Counties, because I couldn't find any at the campaign offices... and the ones on line are soooooooo cool! So, now I buy them on-line in bulk and sell them at events. If you want to see them, or have me come to an event, please just ask. I've even designed some myself. www.zazzle.com/qwlauren35aol
But actually, I want to talk about something more important. Grassroots campaigning. If you've never participated in a presidential campaign, then welcome. We were all new at some point. If you're an old hand, PLEASE share your knowledge. The thing is: all of us, as different as we are, are needed in order to reach enough voters to enable us to win the election. I think everyone knows that unless it's a 60-40 split, it will be manipulated out from under us. It cannot be close. And that's going to take work.
PLEASE. Be as visible in your support as you COMFORTABLY can. Buttons, shirts, car stickers, etc. Now, don't feel bad if "visibility" isn't you. Working behind the scenes is also important. Registering voters is important, and doesn't require that you proclaim your candidate from the rooftops. And making calls can be relatively anonymous.
In the end, though, whether we win or lose depends on how much ground each of us will break and how far out of our comfort zones we will go to get Obama elected. The biggest thing we need is for people to be able to talk about the aspects of Obama and his campaign that have the most meaning to them. When we have those one-on-one conversations, it's more powerful than any ad the McCain campaign can throw at us. If we do NOT have those conversations with people on the fence, as many as we can, then McCain will win, and no number of great speeches will make a difference.
I know why I'm supporting Obama. For me, it's 3 big things.
So, those are my reasons. And I can talk about them 24/7. Please have your reasons for supporting Obama handy at all times. It's not just because he is a great speaker, has a great smile, a nice family, an honest face, a fascinating personal history... hopefully it's not JUST because he's black (hint, Clarence Thomas is black...). There's got to be something about him, his message and his candidacy that's driving you. Please don't be afraid to let it show.
I've created a yahoo group where I can store a Maryland based flyer for canvassing. It's a double-sided tri-fold pamphlet with information about Obama, his stance on issues, how to get involved, and how to contact the local MD offices. The file is at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mforo/files/ (you have to register w/Yahoo, but it's otherwise pretty painless.) I hope anyone who would like to distribute the flyers will download it.
It's late (12am), it's time for me to tuck in for the night. Tomorrow, I'll be back at work, earning a salary so that I can donate part of it to the campaign!!!! And in my spare time, I'll be thinking of ways to help this visionary man win the Presidential Election.
Fired up; ready to go.
Lauren F. Brooklyn, MD - qwlauren35@aol.com
Dont Drown...some of us HAVE!
Pat yourselves on the back. We've nearly weathered 8 years of a catastrophic disaster.
Hurrican Gustav bears down on the United States as I write this and should remind us all of Hurricane Katrina 3 short years ago.
Be reminded of the SHOCK and AWE of watching our fellow citizens left to die on the roofs of their homes and in the squalor of "shelters".
Some of us have:
No matter what we believe we have lost we MUST:
BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH as the talking heads, especially Pat Buchanan, bemoan the fact that there is not enough "red meat" at the Democrats' Convention. "Red Meat" being defined as ad hominum personal attacks on John McCain? Barack has told us he wants a different kind of politics and that's exactly what you're getting. This convention is not for the people in Denver. Nor is this convention for those Democrats sitting at home watching on TV. Those Democrats are already going to vote for Barack.
This convention is totally orchestrated for those who are unsure about Barack, low information voters that haven't had the opportunity to get to know him and what he is all about. Maybe for us old timers the convention lacks drama, but, that's exactly how Barack wants it. Although, he did throw in a little suprise last night by sneaking in after Joe Biden's speech.
Its going just fine and hopefully, God willin', skies will be clear over Denver this evening while Hurricane Gustav bears down on Minneapolis St Paul for the Republican Convention :-)
I’ve been at the Democratic National Convention in Denver for only two days and there’s one thing that I can say for certain – it’s electric! The enthusiasm for Barack Obama and Joe Biden are immense. And although there are still many visible Hillary supporters around, I’ve not heard one that isn’t willing to “switch shirts” once the roll call vote has been completed.
Many themes continue to be repeated. This is not just a campaign for the presidency; it’s a movement for change. This election is not about the Presidency, it’s about the future of our nation and our world. This campaign is not about Barack Obama; it’s about the “audacity of hope.”
I agree with those themes. But there’s another that cannot be forgotten. This race is not over – it will be close – everybody must do a little more to make sure that Barack Obama becomes the President of the United States.
So please, do a little more. As Congressman Cummings said this morning at the Maryland Welcome Breakfast, “deep deeper, push farther, volunteer more.” Please, right away, visit www.barackobama.com and make a donation of as much as you can give. Even $20.00 goes a long way.
And make sure you are showing your support in your community. Purchasing materials on the barackobama.com website also counts as donations to the campaign.
Visit https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/vpmagnet?source=20080823_OB_CM today and for only $15.00, get a car magnet featuring Barack Obama and Joe Biden. For $30.00, get a first edition Obama/Biden t-shirt at https://donate.barackobama.com/page/contribute/vpshirt?source=20080823_OB_Tshirt. Then visit https://political.moveon.org/barackstickers/?rc=homepage to get a free bumper sticker. Or, if you really want to help out, make a $20.00 donation and get 50 bumper stickers to distribute to family, friends, and neighbors.
Our time is now. This is an opportunity to make a change and make a difference. Please use the myBarackObama site to get in touch with your local Obama organization and volunteer to help, whether it be through phone banking, sign waving at busy intersections, or literature dropping and door knocking. Please step up and offer your time, as well as a few dollars.
We have the chance to make history and turn our country around. Please do not let this opportunity pass us by. Please stand up, be counted, and take part in this movement for change, right now.
JACOB! WAY TO GO!
Jacob Maxfield was on the front page of the Bennington Banner.
WOW DOES TIME FLY!
It just seems like yesterday that we were in the FOUR CORNERS freezing our collective butts off doing visibility in February BEFORE the March 4th PRIMARY. REMEMBER CANVASSING IN THE SNOW??? JACOB, my man, was out there with us every step of the way on this long journey.
As Barack says, we have a long way to GO, but, WE HAVE COME A LONG WAY AS WELL! GOOD JOB JACOB! GARTH and SARAH (Dad & Mom) BE PROUD!
Bennington 4th grader hiking Long Trail for ObamaView the article here!
Hi everyone. Remember Barack's comments about the people of Appalachia "clinging to their guns and their religion"?????? Well, after being back in Appalachia ( I went to college in Appalachia many years ago) for 5 weeks now, I can attest that Barack's observation is dead on target.
An apology is in order to those who have signed up on the Bennington Vermont Bennington Baracks website or have posted events there as I have been trying to set up shop in RURAL APPALACHIA and computer access to the Internet has not been an easy thing to accomplish here.
I have been working with the Garrett County Maryland Democrats http://www.garrettdemocrats.org
in bringing Barack's message of Hope to the cynical. Its pretty frightening in a lot of ways. Today at the Democrat Exhibit at the County Fair we passed out Safety Gun Locks for rifles and pistols and the number of little girls that came up and requested gun locks for their own personal guns was astounding.
REMEMBER, ITS EASY TO TAKE THE MESSAGE SOMEWHERE WHERE EVERYBODY THINKS THE SAME AS YOU DO. THE REAL WORK STARTS WHEN YOU CARRY THE MESSAGE TO PEOPLE WHO VIEW THE WORLD COMPLETELY DIFFERENTLY.
For your friends, family, and neighbors who do not yet have Obama gear, please direct them to the following sites so that they can have their own Obama bumper stickers and buttons to display their belief in a positive, hopeful America.
Free Obama buttons: https://political.moveon.org/obamabuttons/index.html?id=13312-7994355-Qz.vypx&t=4
Free Obama bumper sticker: http://www.democraticstuff.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=BSfree
Another FREE Obama bumper sticker: https://pol.moveon.org/obamastickers/?rc=homepage
