So I went to a Moveon.org meeting last night. The hostess had volunteered her place of business for the get together and it was adequately sized for the 16 people that came. It was only the second Moveon get together I'd been to, and like the other, nobody under 50 was in attendance.
I came in late, but people were still introducing themselves. The introducing process consisted of giving your name, a little about yourself, and your feelings about current political issues. The hostess wrote our main points on a white board. Most of the people mentioned that they were disappointed with Obama but would still support him.
Then we all looked over the Moveon.org handouts that the hostess had photocopied. We were supposed to select what we felt our political priorities should be. It was four pages and we had to pick 3 from each page. There were some more pages, more things they wanted us to write but I left half of it blank. I do appreciate Moveon.org trying to get us to focus in these meetings but I thought it was a bit much.
The woman who hosted the group asked how people felt about getting together again on a regular basis. She asked if people were interested in meeting at a restaurant or at her place again and there wasn't a definitive decision made. She's going to send an email out, which is the only way to let her know that I'd much rather meet at a restaurant next time.
After the meeting, I talked for awhile with the one person who had said he wouldn't be supporting or voting for Obama next time. He told me that it didn't make any difference at all who won. I tried to convince him otherwise -- that if a republican became president he/she would dismantle the Affordable Health Care Act, but he was adamant that it didn't make any difference. I wondered why he had come.
I talked for awhile with an older woman (75, to my 60 yrs.) who was bright and much more optimistic than he. We exchanged phone numbers. I hope we can get together.
My husband didn't come with me, he went to a ball game with some friends and didn't get in till late, so we didn't talk about our respective outings till the next day.
He asked me if I'd had a good time last night. I hesitated. A good time? Well, I am glad I went, I like to get to know other progressives, especially here in Virginia where republicans usually dominate. And even though I'd been discouraged talking with the man who wasn't going to vote for Obama, I did like talking with the older woman. But a good time? Well, uh... no.
I expect that I will probably go to more of these get-togethers, but being honest with myself, the thought of sitting in that room again with those same people, with the same kind of agenda leaves me singularly unenthused.
That's when it occurred to me that lack of fun is a problem. No wonder young people don't come to these meetings, they'd much rather be out partying with their friends. Who can blame them? I'd rather be out partying. Maybe with these new friends.
Instead of sitting in this drab place of business, sitting around expressing our frustrations, why aren't we at a restaurant, laughing and having a good time. If we were, maybe someone would see our Moveon buttons and be intrigued and think maybe they would like to join us.
Maybe a group of locals from Daily Kos could get together at karaoke bar, singing into the microphone, inserting sly made-up lyrics to put down our local (republican) congressman.
A group of democrats could organize a softball team, and challenge the local republican group.
Or we could go bowling.