None Of Us Can Sit This Election Out
Posted by Michelle Moquin on October 18th, 2010
Good morning!
I said this awhile back when I was encouraging my readers to vote this November 2nd: “If you can get voters to commit to vote, they will do it.” Now the “other” Michelle is asking, and in my opinion she has a further reach than I do when it comes to inspiring people, so how about listening to our First Lady, Michelle Obama?
None of us can sit this election out.
Not when we’re just beginning to see the results of the change we’ve all been working for, and when there’s still so much left to do.
That’s why this election is so important, and that’s why we can’t let complacency overtake us in these last few weeks.
I have two things to ask of you.
First, Barack and I need you to commit to vote this fall.
And with so much at stake, we need to make sure your friends and family get out to vote as well. The best person in the world for that job is you.
That’s why, today, OFA is launching its Commit to Vote Challenge. It’s a powerful way for you to commit to vote in this election — and then have fun while inspiring your friends to do the same.
We know from Barack’s campaign that when you get someone to make a commitment, they’re far more likely to follow through.
So OFA is making it as easy as possible for you to get everyone you know committed to going to the polls this year.
By taking part in this challenge — and getting commitments from 5, 10, 30, or more of the folks you’re close to — you’ll get us even closer to victory on November 2nd. And you’ll see who among your friends can inspire the greatest number of people to commit.
Every year, elections across the country are decided by the slimmest of margins. If we all get the people we know to commit to voting, we can change the outcomes of elections all over the country and continue to build the kind of future we want for ourselves and for our children.
There’s more information about the challenge at OFA’s Vote 2010 website. Let’s get started today:
http://my.barackobama.com/CommitChallenge
Thanks so much,
Michelle
Readers: This is a very critical time. If you can make calls during the week, great. And if you’re busy during during the weekdays, and the weekday evenings or the weekend is all the time you have, great too. FYI: If all you have available is the weekends, that’s fine too. Just know that this coming up weekend is the last weekend before the November 2nd midterms.
I am going to make it real simple for you to get involved. Personally I enjoy going to a neighbor’s house with a bunch of people, getting into the vibe of it all, and making phone calls. But if you’re not a social butterfly like I am, that is perfectly fine. You can make phone calls right from your own home. There are two ways to do this:
- Through MoveOn.org: To sign up for an evening shift this weekend, making calls from your own home. click here. Spend 20 minutes or two hours. It’s up to you.
- Through Obama’s Website: All you have to do is click here to get started. This will take you to Obama’s home page. In the right hand corner a red box will say “CALL VOTERS”. click “CALL VOTERS”. You can begin to make phone calls right away using the provided script or if you want more information, click in the upper right hand corner of the page “Instructions”, where you will be instructed on how easy it is. Make one phone call or make 50 – It’s up to you.
Just Do it and have fun...Thanks!
Readers: As I said before, I gave the order to Madaline to help out if and only if the Dems show up to the polls in significant numbers winning seats, and the Republicans try to steal the election. But let me clarify the meaning behind the command that is directed at the Democrats: ”Don’t be lazy. I will work as a team with you. If you don’t show up at the polls, and bring the numbers in, and all you show is apathy, you can kiss any help from Madaline goodbye. It’s all up to you. “
Thorton: Personally, I’m tired of reading the comments of gutless small-dick men. God gave you a pair for a reason: So women could aim and fire when needed. Why else would he dangle the most sensitive, vulnerable subjects between the legs of men? Certainly not to protect that small thing residing between them.
Robert: Thanks for your comments on the film. I agree with you too. And I will additionally say, people don’t want to hear about it; they just want to sweep it under the table because it didn’t happen to them. The them being white people.
I would love to know the name of this little book that someone handed to you. Perhaps you will speak more about it tomorrow. And perhaps we should be conscience ourselves to the small cruelties that we commit against others every day too.
Peace out.
Lastly, greed over a great story is surfacing from my “loyal”(?) readers. With all this back and forth about who owns what, that appears on my blog, let me reiterate that all material posted on my blog becomes the sole property of my blog. If you want to reserve any proprietary rights don’t post it to my blog. I will prominently display this caveat on my blog from now on to remind those who may have forgotten this notice.
Gratefully your blog host,
michelle
Aka BABE: We all know what this means by now :)
If you love my blog and my writes, please make a donation via PayPal, credit card, or e-check, please click the “Donate” button below. (Please only donations from those readers within the United States. – International readers please see my “Donate” page)
October 18th, 2010 at 10:16 am
Crime Is Up
Irene van der Zande
Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International
Face-to-face crimes, such as muggings and assaults, are especially scary. We all need to become our own bodyguards when we’re out and about. Most of us know the basic safety advice, such as always being aware of our surroundings. Here are more tactics to stay safe when you’re out in public…
Program your cell phone with the local police number on speed dial in case there’s trouble. Police have told me that this often yields a faster officer response than 911 because a 911 operator has to route the call to a police officer. Check with your local police department to find out which would be faster in your region.
Always lock your car. This seems like a no-brainer, but you would be surprised at how many people forget to do it. Lock your car even if you’re just sitting in it for a few moments in a parking lot before you drive off.
Carry mugger’s money if you are in a high-risk locale, such as a bad neighborhood or a tourist spot in a foreign country. Keep a wallet with $20 to $50 in small bills that’s easily accessed, separate from your other valuables.
Press the panic button on your car key to set off the car alarm if someone frightens you. Many alarms can be triggered from at least 45 feet away, sometimes 100 feet or more. The loud noise can deter would-be attackers.
Put your valuables down and move away if you are asked to give up your wallet or purse. This increases the distance between you and the assailant.
Yell orders if you feel your life is being threatened. If you give up your valuables, but the person says, “You’re coming with me,” or starts to attack or pull you, yell clear messages, such as, “Stop,” and “Leave me alone,” to the attacker.
Then, if there are others around, yell, “Call the police,” or “Call 911.” Don’t yell, “Help.” The word “help” makes people afraid for their own safety and unsure of what to do. Example: Late one night, an elderly woman’s car broke down in a bad neighborhood.
While she was waiting for the tow service, five young men got out of their cars and started threatening her. She screamed to a woman she saw, “Call the police.” She then yelled at her attackers, “Stop right there! Get back in your cars and leave. The police are on their way.” The men took off.
Know simple moves targeted at the most vulnerable spots on the body in case you must physically defend yourself. Yelling, “No!” while you perform these moves helps give you more power…
The Eye Strike. Squeeze your fingers together (like a bird’s beak), and jab them hard into the attacker’s eyes. You also can claw your fingers like a rake across the eyes.
The Groin Strike. Stand with your feet apart, and lift up your knee so that your thigh strikes between the attacker’s legs and your knee jabs into his groin.
These moves aren’t meant to disarm or overpower an attacker, which is difficult to do. You just want to buy yourself enough time to break away from his grasp. If you can manage to get a few feet away from him — all the while screaming — chances are high that he will flee to avoid being caught rather than chase you.
Personal interviewed Irene van der Zande, cofounder, executive director and instructor at Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International, a nonprofit organization that has taught personal safety and self-defense techniques to children, adults and seniors since 1989, Santa Cruz, California. http://www.kidpower.org
October 18th, 2010 at 10:34 am
Michelle:
The little book I read has some fine points, but it takes itself to a level of absurdity that needs some serious editing. Otherwise I would have simply given you the name of the book and suggested that you peruse it at your leisure.
But as the author implied in his little book, bad advise is in itself a form of cruelty. I suspect the author is white which would explain his lack of naming racism and bigotry as specific forms of cruelty while ascertaining that people cannot escape the punishment of cruelty by fearing to face its existence.
Watching the movie brings home the fact that one cannot escape cruelty by ignoring it, by pretending it is not there. Pretending is no defense. So those of you who find this post or the movie too strident will still be visited by cruelty. Allowing cruelty to remain concealed allows it to grow more menacing.
“Since most cruelties are extremely subtle, you must remain alert to catch them before they catch you.” I like that. It implies that one can learn to acquire “mean-dar.”
Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to identify cruel mother-f**kers before they worked their evil upon you. As the author said, “When meeting someone you will say to yourself, ‘He is opening the door for what he wants from me by pretending interest in my activities.’ Or you will silently comment, ‘She made that insolent remark to get revenge.’ On a third occasion you may think, ‘Incredibly, he is insisting that I live my life according to his pleasure.”
Tomorrow I will discuss how to develop “mean-dar.”
Robert
October 18th, 2010 at 11:47 am
Man who make love to woman on hill…
he not on level.
October 18th, 2010 at 12:13 pm
Hi Mischa : )
Thank you to all who left me a b’day greeting here, that’s you : ) Ruth, Harris, Jorge and Carla, Chloe (merci!) and sigh, George, fyi…there were white/black/South American and gay both male and female celebrating and I hate white cake with whote frosting in an all white crowd, thanks anyway : ) I’ll take my raspberry white choc cheesecake, my fresh fruit tart and my carrot cake and all other forms of diversity in between in my cake and my peeps. Fabian, I’m assuming the Happy Fucking Birthday (capital F) was for me? I don’t know what I said that pissed you off bc I have never been addressed by you before, if this is your intro I cannot wait for your encore : ) did I say here that I love edgy people and you strike me as being edgy, that or you have a major bone to pick with me, about something…please…fill me in…
Brittany – cheers to that statement to anonymous babe : )
…which brings me to Evelyn : ) thank you for the greeting and you do know your ZL quiz trivia, now don’t you? Quite rightly I was being taken care of, and why shouldn’t I be? So, details…hmm, let’s see, how about he was/is sweet as the day is long, fed me desert – gave gifts – more sugar : ) – and later dinner – and he wears sz 15 shoes, which were off most of that time except for the out for dinner part : ) and it’s best to cover very large feet in public : )))) ahahaha…!
Robert, great points, it is an insidous thing, meanness and my mean-dar is more regulated by my passive-aggresive-dar, I call it out as nicely as possible but underhanded barbs/unnecessary criticism/distancing bahvior diguised as ‘I’m busy’ esp to someone close to you can change everything, and not for the good. It creeps in slowly often undermining anothers self esteem, now we should and could handle our own self esteem though it shouldn’t have to be challenged by mild ‘cruelty’ or just bad bahvior/manners. I talk about this a lot guised as ‘Chez Dev house rules’ and it always amazes me how many kids visit here who are allowed to be mean in general, I’ve got no problem nipping that right in the bud…as for religious folks who think its covered at school, your kids can be the worst offenders when they’re out and about without you. That’s a fact. And when someone cuts in in traffic and someone else in the car decides to be indignant about it I always say – hahaha – oh and what, you’ve NEVER pulled a bone headed driving maneuver. Really? I tend to get funny/sassy before I get pissy and usually peeps respond in kind, I say defuse bc it is so easy to get all jacked up over some (true or perceived) indignity caused by someone else.
Chloe, I guess your a fan of the exercises and I realize I’ve been slacking in the writing big time, I’ll get back to it bc I have some good new ones to share…mid week, have to roll in a mo’
Oh and fawning over Howie? C’mon, he commented here for a year plus, of course I miss him and would greet him that way, don’t be so jealous, if you address me directly I always answer you, so if you want attention, do that but don’t begrudge Howie his warm welcome back.
Thornton, you’ve done been told, if not by Irene and Pearl, well then by the Ms herself, I was simply going to say ‘eat me’ : )
Caio for now, Luv, Zen Lill
October 18th, 2010 at 4:51 pm
Zen Lill
Happy “F**king Birthday meant I hope you were getting some.
October 18th, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Ohhhhh – happy FUCKING birthday. : ) yes it was ecstatic, thank you! – ZL
October 18th, 2010 at 6:00 pm
I would love to eat you. And eat you, And eat you.
Just say when.
Thorton
October 18th, 2010 at 6:02 pm
I could have been better if I were the pile driving bringer of that gala event.
But, as long as it was good, that’s all that counts.
F
October 18th, 2010 at 8:26 pm
Thornton, seems to me you’d be eating your words bc if you were to do that ‘…eat you. and eat you, and eat you…’ thing – hmm, who’d be ‘serving’ whom? All that shit about a woman not knowing where else to go but follow a male would be shot to hell, now wouldn’t it, darlin’? And – when? For all men (inclduing you and um, George and his/your ilk) who write stupid indoctrinated inculcated statements like you wrote yesterday, the answer would be – never.
Fabian, did I say just ‘good’? bc that would certainly be an understatement : ) it never ceases to amaze me how many acronyms for sex I don’t know – pile driving bringer? I just heard the term ‘laying some pipe’ the other day, I could not stop laughing…
Caio, Zen Lill (can you believe how undisciplined I can be – I’m supppposssed to be working…yeah right…)