No Better Time Than Now

Note: for those of you on the other side of the aisle, I hope that you at least get something out of this post, if only a reminder about the importance of the democratic process in this country and that we can all make our vote feel more important.  Or, you don't have to read it.

"Are you fired up?"  That was the first question I was asked after I entered the "Silicon Valley For Obama" office.  I went tonight for a Volunteer Orientation, hoping to learn a bit more about how I'm going to talk to voters on November 1 and 2.  I wasn't fired up when I was asked this question to be honest.  I was tired.  I dragged myself there from a long day at school (where I had graded 100 quizzes and 15 projects over the course of the day) and I almost didn't go.  But after a few minutes, I realized that there were two inpired people standing in front of me letting me know what I can do, there were six students from the local girls's private school there with their teacher excited to get to work, and many, many baby boomers.  When they took a poll at the beginning, most people had never been in a campaign office or been a part of a campaign before at all.

Maybe you're like me and delete all Obama's emails that ask me to make calls.  After tonight, I'm totally committed to being in that office twice a week to do so.  It's actually not that intimidating because the goal of the phoning right now is to identify voters.  If they are supporting McCain, you thank them and end the call.  If they are undecided, you ask them if they have any questions.  It's only if they are a Barack supporter that you have a longer conversation about getting involved.  In the last two elections, I have felt as though my vote doesn't really matter since I've always been in a blue state.  I am now realizing that while I still need to vote, it's my voice that matters much, much more.

So, yes, I am now fired up.  This weekend 50,000 calls need to go to Nevada and New Mexico, whose voter registration ends on Tuesday.  That's a big task.  Since I graded like a crazy person today, I think I'll stop by their office on Friday or Sunday and make some calls.  Both states are very precarious right now.  There are battleground states bordering nearly everyone I know (except the one person I know in Louisiana) and what that means is that this is right in your backyard.  You can call New Mexico and Nevada...or you can Colorado or Florida,  New Hampshire or Maine, Ohio or Virginia.  

We are this country.  If we really want change, maybe we need to mix it up a little bit in our own lives.  I've never been the kind of person who felt comfortable asking people to sign something or felt like I can convince someone to change their mind.  I never thought I'd be doing what I'm doing, but, for me, this is too important to sit on the sidelines and hope for hope.  I think about my students and how most of them can't even vote.  I try to think about what might make a better future for each of them (this 11-year old kid is giving speeches about it).  So, I'm doing something.  I hope you join me.  Shoot me an email or give me a call if you want to talk through this.