Voting As A Duty....

~ Ask a man which way he is going to vote, and he will probably tell you. Ask him, however, why, and vagueness is all. ~ Andrew Lack

This is an intersting quote from the man who "...transformed the [NBC] News division into the most-watched news organization." This division included NBC Nightly News with Tom Brokaw, Meet the Press, The Today Show, and Dateline NBC. "Before going to NBC, Mr. Lack spent much of his television career at CBS News, where he created and served as the executive producer of the groundbreaking newsmagazine West 57th (1985-89). He served as the senior executive producer of the landmark CBS Reports for nearly a decade (1978-85), producing acclaimed documentaries such as "People Like Us" (1982), "Teddy" with Roger Mudd, "The Boat People" (1979), "The Defense of the United States" (1981), and "Bittersweet Memories: A Vietnam Reunion" (1981). He joined CBS News in 1976 and by the next year had become a prominent producer for 60 Minutes." http://www.sonybmg.com/mgmt_andrewlack.html

I give you Mr. Lack's credentials in an effort to prove that with his experience in the news industry he must know something of which he speaks. I give you his quote, because in my own daily observations I have found it to be sadly accurate.

While growing up, the atmosphere around me was always politically charged. Many of the people in my life, the adults who helped me grow and form opinions, were very opinionated themselves. And many of their views were often conflicting. I would have one person I loved and respected espousing the platforms of the Democratic Party on one side and on the other another would be eschewing those ideas in favor of those of the Republican party. All the while both people adamantly declaring they were right and the other was wrong. I remember wondering how people who were so close could have such differing views. Who was right? Was there a "right" point of view? Was one more appropriate than the other? It was this line of questioning that led me down the path of political fascination. In some ways I became a junky. I was determined to not just listen to what my elders had to say, but to understand what exactly it was they were saying. It wasn't enough to hear that they supported a candidate, but I wanted to know why they supported that particular candidate. It was then that I learned that even among the people I loved there were narrow minds, who voted not for the person who represented their own points of view, but who more closely matched their demographic. JFK won votes in my family, not necessarily because of his domestic policy, but because he was catholic.

Almost as soon as I could vote I felt the pressure to align myself with a particular political party. Would I choose the party of my grandfather, the patriarch of the family, to whom everyone looked up and respected or would I choose the party of my uncle and [then] step-father, younger men who were closer to my own generation and, therefore, perhaps more in tune with the times. Afraid to incite ill will, I chose not to choose and when I did, I kept it quiet, fearing that by embracing the conservative ideals of the Republican party I would be seen to be thumbing my nose at the hard working class ideals of my grandfather's Democratic party.

My choice to align myself with the Republican party was based on the ideals of former great Republicans, beginning with Abraham Lincoln. To do what was right and make our country strongly united in the face of adversity was the overall ideal I embraced. I thought I had changed from the young teenager that was a fringe supporter of Greenpeace, who was a stereotypical "liberal". It turns out, though, that the Republican party of our forefathers is not the same as today's. I found many of my personal views did not align with the Republican Party line of thinking. The more I dug into candidates and political offical's points of view and the platforms they support, the more I realized I did not belong to any party necessarily. It was then I realized the importance of not voting for party or demographic, but for the person or people who represented me as closely as possible.

If you ask me why I vote for whom I vote, I can tell you why. It is important to me that the person running the free world represents ME. It should be just as important to you. Can you tell me why you voted for your candidate? Actually, let me ask you, can you tell me how your candidate stands on specific issues without reverting to a 60-minute commercial he/she supported on T.V.? The muck-raking, negativity found in most political adds cannot be relied upon to showcase a candidates point of view or entire campaign. The time frame is too short and they are really just meant to shout, "Vote For Me!". If you can't tell me beyond what you saw in commercials or even heard in one or two debates why you voted for your candidate, you should do your homework.

In this world of ever-growing technology there are no ends to the means by which we can gather information. By the very fact you are reading this blog I can confirm you at least are familiar with the internet. Use it! Research your candidate, your issue, the amendment, or proposition that is being put to vote. Your vote does matter so make it count.

If you Google "Political Issues", you will get over 40M results. Pick one or pick many. On the right I have updated the links to include my favorite, OnTheIssues.org, which professes to include "Every Political Leader On Every Issue". To get your political aplomb under way, click on the link and click on the candidate you voted for. Look at their voting history and how they have changed over the years. Are you surprised? Click on the "Quizzes" tab and take the VoteMatch Quiz of 2008. Each line item is a hyperlink which will take you to a page that clearly explains not only the issue but what everything from "Strongly Supporting" to "Strongly Opposing" the issue really means. There are only 20 questions, so take the time to read each link and choose your answer carefully based on how you really feel. Then score your quiz. Are you surprised by the results? Is this who you voted for?

"And Vagueness Is All...."

The Butterfly Effect

"Does the Flap of a Butterfly's Wings in Brazil Set Off a Tornado in Texas?" ~ Edward Lorenz

This question posed by famed mathematician, meteorologist, and father of the chaos theory, Edward Lorenz, is the main concept behind what was later coined the "Butterfly Effect".

The Butterfly Effect is most commonly associated with the weather system, indicating that weather patterns do not always change as predicted, that they are dependant on initial conditions. The question Lorenz poses introduces the idea that the small flap of a butterflies wings could be the initial condition that ultimately leads to the chain of events that change or prevent a major weather pattern. As the pioneer of the chaos theory, Lorenz is also showing us that it is impossible to determine what the initial cause of any event really is, that it could be the flap of a butterflies wings in Brazil, but it could also be the flap of a gulls wings in Boston.

As members of society and followers of popular culture, we have taken this theory and ran with it. As Peter Dizikes points out in his article The meaning of the butterfly...Why pop culture loves the 'butterfly effect,' and gets it totally wrong, "the butterfly effect has become a metaphor for the existence of seemingly insignificant moments that alter history and shape destinies". That is to say, something as insignificant as helping out at a soup kitchen could later make a significant difference. Dizikes asserts that it is idealistic of society to think such a thing. I agree, however, isn't it because the ultimate cause of such major events is inscrutable to us that we romanticize that we could be the cause? Why couldn't we be the butterfly? Why couldn't the action we take today make a difference in the future?

It can make a difference. One thing that I have learned during this election year is to not give in to apathy. Don't like the way things are? Do something about it! Be the butterfly, the initial condition to bring about change. Because, "If you have no will to change it, you have no right to criticize it."

We Have Our Travel Arrangements!

We are all but there!

We have purchased our airline tickets, have made arrangements for a place to stay (thanks to big brother and sis-in-law, Bob and Debbie), and have purchased train and metro tickets.

It is becoming more real as we begin planning out our itinerary for each day of our stay.

In 20 days we will witness one of the most historical events of my generation!

Watch this space as we get closer to the event and our plans continue to develop.

Inauguration Bound

I realize that in my original post I mentioned that this blog was going to be about our travels to the inauguration as well.

If you are interested in following that, please go to the posts under "Inauguration Travels".

I'll post updates to our progress in getting to the inauguration, pictures of the event, and, of course, commentary.

If you'd like to see anything special, let me know!

You Can Make A Change

Please take time to visit the links under "Make A Difference".

President John F. Kennedy once said, "Never before has man had such a great capacity to control his own environment, to end hunger, poverty and disease, to banish illiteracy and human misery. We have the power to make the best generation of mankind in the history of the world."

Take the first step by visiting Care2 and learning how you can make a change in the world by simply by clicking to donate or using its many tools to help begin striking a balance in the world.

If you want something a little more hands-on, visit Volunteer Match, a site that helps people connect with causes they can support.

Or, if you want to follow Charlie's path, visit the sites of the political parties and volunteer your time. Work a phone bank leading up to an election. Walk door-to-door to disseminate information about issues and candidates.

The point is that we do have the power to make a difference.

Never doubt...

...that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world;
indeed, it's the only thing that ever has. ~ Margaret Mead

After a summer of volunteering on the phone bank and going door to door, Charlie was given the opportunity to drive in [then] Senator Biden's motorcade when he visited Fox High School.

Not only did it afford Charlie the chance to drive fast on highways otherwise blocked for traffic, but it also gave him a glimpse into the larger world of political figures.

It takes a lot of people to run a political campain, "handlers", speech writers, planners, Secret Service and volunteers. Charlie had the chance to talk to many of these people over his 24 hours of driving in the motorcade. It's an experience he will never forget and all he had to do was volunteer.

Not long after driving for Biden, Charlie volunteered as a representative for the Obama campaign on Election Day. His main responsibility was to make sure everyone had the opportunity and ability to vote. But he did a lot more - handing out water, snacks, guiding people where to go, and talking to voters. Some people were much less than magnanimous, refusing Charlie's offers of help because of his political affiliation. For the most part, though, his day was a fulfilling one.

Will these things make a difference in a person's life? Perhaps not. It didn't do anything to end poverty, cure disease, or stop global warming. Well, not directly. Maybe someone will remember the nice man that helped them on Election Day. Hopefully they will remember, too, that this man was there as a proponent of change.

And So It Began

We can't solve
problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them.
~ Albert Einstein

This entire journey began when Charlie began volunteering for the Obama campaign, helping whenever and wherever he could.

At the time Charlie, like many people, believed that things simply cannot continue the way they are. Gas prices were sky rocketing, our economy was on a slippery slope (although not yet officially in a recession), our environment was suffering, and soldiers were dying every day.

Unlike many people, Charlie is not one for empty words. If you're going to complain, be prepared to do something about it. So he did, by volunteering to make sure the candidate who supported the change he felt this country needed was elected into office.

This blog is about that experience, so maybe others will realize the value in standing up and taking action, not just waiting for others to do it for you and hoping you can get the results you want.

Obviously, Charlie's and many, many others work paid off! We are counting down the days until President-Elect Obama is sworn in as not only our nation's 44th President, but also the first African-American President, an event that has already made its mark in our history books.

This blog is also about major event as Charlie and I prepare for and make our trip to Washington, D. C. to witness, first-hand, the swearing in of the next President of the United States of America.