I put out
the call on Tuesday night to wear black hoodies (or the hoodies of your choice) on Election Day to stand in solidarity with those targeted for voter suppression, and to signify our membership in the community of millions who will demand that their voices be heard.
(A lot of the daytime folks missed it, so here's a chance for the morning folks to catch up.)
I have now registered and develped MoshTheVote.com. The DNS may not have become active yet by the time you click on this link, so I'm going to provide Kossacks with the actual "location" of the site here.
(... more after the jump ...)
Update (12:38 Eastern): No DNS service on the MoshtheVote.com URL yet. It was not my preference to use the "real" URL at my personal site, but it matters more to me that the word is spread than that my privacy remain intact, so please feel free to distribute
both together:
http://www.moshthevote.com/
and
http://www.colettemarine.com/pers/mosh/
They both go to the exact same place, but if you distribute them both in e-mail or on blogs, please be sure to indicate that moshthevote.com will be the actual preferred address (for obvious reasons) once the URL starts working properly.
I'm going to violate one of my own personal pet-peeve rules right now and beg you to do two things:
- Recommend the diary, and
- E-mail the link to everyone you know
I want this thing to go viral, and there's only a few days left. The idea has already done a little spreading since Tuesday via the earlier diary and my
post over on Southpaw.
But MoshTheVote.com is easy to remember, easy to say, and easy to send.
Again if the DNS hasn't kicked in yet, you can find the "real" location here. Please go there and look around, especially if you're one of the people who have had some doubts about the whole concept. I've addressed some of those doubts on the site.
Here in this diary, for the benefit of Kossacks, I will share three things:
Conformity or Community?
A lot of people have responded to the call to "black hoodie" solidarity. Along the way, however, a number of people have raised concerns about the implied message of conformity. While I respect their opinion, and understand the impulse from which it comes, I strongly disagree that this is about conformity.
This is about community.
I think there's a good reason people seized upon the symbol of the black hoodie as something they wanted to translate into the real world. It's an extremely powerful, multi-layered symbol.
Think about all the things the hoodie connotes, and then think about the way all of those things play off each other to synthesize something wholly unexpected: violence, invisibility, uniformity, power, warmth, protection, camoflauge, poverty, transformation, threat, shadow...
And yet, what do we see? We see thousands of individuals, ordinarily invisible to their rulers, clothed in shadow, emerging from the darkness to take back what is rightfully theirs. And that is threatening to those who stole it.
It's the threatening, dehumanizing image that is turned into the ultimate re-humanizing image.
And when the individuals put on the black hoodies, they aren't just putting on a uniform. They are self-consciously putting on a symbol. They are self-consciously taking on a community identity and choosing to be seen. They take on the appearance of the "invisible" to become visible, and in huge numbers, they are unavoidable, their message unmistakable.
Further, it's no accident that the hoods are all off when they're voting. It's clear that these are all individuals, expressing themselves as individuals as well as as a community rising to take back its power.
All of that said, however, if you are uncomfortable wearing the exact same thing everyone else is wearing, you should wear what makes you feel comfortable and empowered. If it's an orange hoodie and a pair of pink Chucks, well then, let it fly! If it's a look of fierce hope and a smile, then thank God for you. I'll see you at the polls.
How to Mosh The Vote
- Wear your black hoodie (or the color you prefer).
- Bring multiple forms of ID to the polls (at least one of them should be a picture ID). If you have a voter registration card, bring it. Be ready to show them.
- Stand firm. If they try to delay voting by challenging multiple voters, do not give up and walk away. Your vote is your voice. Do not let them take away your voice. This is your lunch counter, your water fountain, your bus.
- Cheer up others who are delayed in line with you. Encourage them to stay and make their voice heard.
- Be kind, respectful, and non-violent. If someone provokes you, remain calm. Do not let them make you the bad guy. Your revolution is in the ballot box.
- If you are unfairly denied your right to vote, call the Election Protection Hotline immediately: 1-866-OUR-VOTE (1-866-687-8683).
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is "Mosh?"
A: "Mosh" is a song from Eminem's upcoming release, "Encore." More importantly for our purposes, "Mosh" is a video put together by Eminem and the folks over at Guerilla News Network. It is a hard-hitting anthem of citizen empowerment and revolution via the ballot box.
Q: Why should I do what some rapper says?
A: You shouldn't. Following Eminem is not the point. The point is that you stand and be counted as one of a community of millions of individuals who, despite their differences, stand as one in their effort to make their voices heard.
Q: Can't I be part of the "community of millions" in a T-shirt?
A: Yes. The "hoodie" is as much a look of determination and resolve in the eyes as it is a fashion statement. That said, symbolism is powerful stuff. Give it a shot.
Q: I'm too old to wear a hoodie. I'll look stupid.
A: No you won't. A hoodie is a very practical item of clothing you'll be glad you own. It's just a sweatshirt with a hood. Very nice on chilly autumn days.
Q: Conformity sucks. Can I wear a blue hoodie instead?
A: I don't think the black hoodie signifies conformity at all. It signifies community. However, you should wear whatever makes you feel comfortable and empowered. A rainbow of hoodies is a beautiful thing.
Q: Will I get in trouble at the polling place for wearing my hoodie?
A: In many places it is illegal to wear anything to the polls that advocates for or against a particular candidate. A hoodie is a hoodie is a hoodie. I doubt the thugs challenging voters will be that culturally-aware, but stranger things have happened. Be prepared to politely refute the idea that a sweatshirt with a hood is a campaign shirt. If the choice is the hoodie or the vote, be prepared to take it off and vote. Then report the incident to the Election Protection Hotline: 1-866-OUR-VOTE.
Q: Is this a violent revolution sort of thing? That video looks kind of violent to me.
A: Absolutely not. Our revolution is in the ballot box. We are mobilizing and standing firm against intimidation and oppression, not to provoke violence in the streets, but to exercise and protect our rights as citizens. If you think "Mosh" is violent, you need to view it again. It draws upon images, symbols, and actions often associated with violence, but it uses them in the service of one thing: the act of voting... the ultimate non-violent political act.