Good morning!
This is the weekly DKos Asheville open thread where we try to get together every Saturday morning around eleven, and then drift in and out throughout the day. We hope this group serves to reinvigorate us locally and regionally here on Daily Kos, building on the sense of community that's grown through our online engagement. DKos Asheville can give us all a better sense of connection, a better understanding of who these people are that we stand with, work with, and share with in the political process. We hope, through this community, that we can do a better job of leveraging our orange passion for progressive politics to help elect more and better Democrats.
If you would like to host a weekly open thread, please let us know.
Navajo has suggested that DKos Asheville start a google group for the purpose of sending messages to group members to remind everyone of the Saturday Open Thread diaries, the Quarterly Meetups, Voter Registration events, and other related activities.
As I imagine most of you have discovered, the kosmail message system has issues. It is one of the things that will hopefully be addressed in DK5, which is targeted to go live sometime in the spring of 2014. In the meantime however, Navajo thinks it important that we make use of a google group; especially since it is unknown at this time how functional messaging will be on the new platform. Randall and I discussed it, and we agree that it's a good idea.
So, we've set up a group. It's a private group. You will need to send me an email address, and I will then send you an invite.
As mentioned above, the purpose of the group is only to send messages related to our diaries here and the events we discuss here. Personally, I try to keep some kind of control over the amount of email I receive; so I can understand that you may not wish to be added to still another email list.
On the other hand, our lives tend to get filled with all kinds of activities; and a reminder to check the Saturday Open Thread, or a reminder about a DKos Asheville event that you are considering attending, can be a good thing.
So, if you wish to, send me an email address and I'll send you an invite. I will not add your address to my personal contacts; and the settings for the google group have been set so that only Randall and I can see your email address.
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And speaking of Navajo; she gave DKos Asheville a prominent mention in her diary, Building Community, this past Thursday. As many of you are aware, she is now a member of the Daily Kos staff as Director of Community Building. A wonderful choice by Markos, and a great benefit for the Daily Kos community. Congratulations Navajo!
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And on a note related to that news, our January meetup is just one month away; and we still need to finalize some details. If I recall correctly, the current plan is to meet at Grove Park Inn (I'm not exactly sure where at Grove Park Inn); and I think it's Saturday the 18th that we are looking at, though I don't know what kind of time period we're considering. I also don't know what we're thinking as far as food (my guess is that eating at the Grove Park Inn could be an expensive proposition; and I don't know whether they would let us do kabobs over the fireplace).
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Via Asheville PARC - The Nation magazine has published its 2013 Progressive Honor Roll, and we here in Western North Carolina made the list!
MOST VALUABLE PROTEST: Mountain Moral Monday
When up to 10,000 North Carolinians rallied August 5 on Mountain Moral Monday in Asheville, the Rev. William Barber II, president of the state NAACP, announced: “This is no momentary hyperventilation and liberal screaming match. This is a movement.” The protests against legislative attacks on voting rights, public education and programs for low-income families began last spring at the state Capitol in Raleigh. But when the GOP-controlled legislature adjourned, the massive rally in Asheville signaled that the movement had spread. Barber declared that “from the mountains to the coast,” there is a movement for “a new South, a new North Carolina and a new future.”
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And also from PARC, there is a Moral Monday event scheduled for Raleigh on Saturday, February 8th. So if your calendar tends to fill up, you might want to go ahead and mark your calendar now if this is a trip you would like to make ...
One of the state and nation's largest mobilizations for social justice will 'FLOOD THE STREETS' for a 'People's Assembly' in front of the NC General Assembly.
Led by the NC NAACP, we'll assemble on South Street, at Shaw University, at 9:30AM. Our march to Jones Street begins at 10:30AM.
Information on buses going from Asheville will be released in mid-January.
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Today is the Winter Solstice, a perfect day to set aside a little time to thank the universe for these mountains that we call home.
Enjoy your day! And if you're out visiting friends and family this week, be safe and happy.