Friends and relatives of those annoying people who say they couldn't care less about this election or anything to do with politics, take note.
In 2008 my politically ignorant (and hostile) daughter was away at school in Florida. In a previous diary I told how I had to nag her into registering to vote. What I didn't tell you was how hostile she was during the entire process. She said she didn't care about politics. That she didn't want to hear about Obama. And she had far better things to do than to sit around navel-gazing about stuff she had no control over. In short, voting was stupid and a waste of time.
Meanwhile, I still sent for the forms, had her fill them out, and send them back to me. Once the ballot came, I sent it to her and had her fill it out and send it back to me again. I then mailed it for her.
My other daughter (underage at the time) went with me to our local OFA office and phone banked. She had a blast. Even though she wasn't particularly political, or knowledgable, she endeared herself to the people she called because of her youth, her sweetness and her sincere belief that Obama was a good man.
Two months before the 2008 election, hostile oldest daughter told me how she was starting to notice that a lot of people were talking about this Obama person, and how we're watching history in the making. I didn't bother to say that I'd said the same thing to her, but it didn't mean as much coming from her mom. (rolling eyes)
Then the night of the election, she and her sister were standing in front of the TV with my husband and I crying happy tears. Hostile oldest daughter turned to me and said, "I helped make that happen, didn't I?" I nodded and smiled, resisting the urge to make a snarky retort about all the hair pulling and arm twisting and nagging I had to do to get her to fill out the damn ballot.
Okay, seriously. I'm over it now. LOL
FAST FORWARD TO THE PRESENT:
I had my youngest daughter (the phone banker) register to vote. So now both of my girls are eligible.
Because my husband and I were constantly talking politics in the house over the years, our discussions (as well as some of the punditry my husband watches on TV) ignited interest within my teenage son. Enough to prompt him to watch the second debate on his own with both of his sisters. They watched the first debate unprompted as well.
Today my son talks about Obama in school with his peers constantly. My daughters are using social media to promote the president. My oldest (formally politically hostile) daughter met a lot of people when she was in school and she's stayed in touch with them.
Mind you, these are rainbow kids. White, Black, Hispanic, NA, Asian etc... from all parts of the country. And according to my daughter, they are all fired up and ready to vote--for Obama. Both my daughters have a lot of followers on social media, and they're constantly encouraging their peers, to tell their friends and family members about the importance of this election.
I'm especially proud of my oldest daughter, considering how hostile she was back in 2008. Now she's coming to me with constant Romnesia news, and posting pro-Obama YouTube videos on her Facebook page, along with my other daughter. They're also encouraging their local circle of friends to check their voter registrations and to vote early.
There's a saying in the Bible that "if you train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it."
IOW, all those seeds you've been scattering to your friends and loved ones over the years, seeds you think may not have taken root, will bear fruit eventually. Trust me on this.
I'm marveling at how my kids are really taking an interest in the world they live in. They realize this is their legacy and they are not content (like some of their generation) to sit back and let things happen. They want to make a difference.
One last success story:
My husband is a tightwad. Look, it's just the truth. He doesn't like to donate---to anyone. It's just one of his many idiosyncrasies that I've learned to deal with. Anytime I donate to any cause, he says that it counts for him, so he doesn't need to do it.
ARGH!
So, on October 17th, when OFA sent me that email saying it was the last FEC fundraising deadline for the campaign, I decided to take one last shot.
The first thing my husband does when he comes home from work every night is to quiz me about how Obama's doing, and what the pundits are saying. Yet he has NEVER donated.
So on October 17th, I used all that against him and replied:
"If you cared so much about this man, you would've shown him by now. You would've given him some money. Did you know today is the FEC deadline? Do you know what that means? Do you even care? If you don't, then stop asking me about how he's doing because you're not willing to do your part to help get him reelected!"
Sure enough, he went and got his credit card and donated on the internet!!!
WooHooo! For the first time.
So don't despair. If you're phone banking, or dealing with a wingnut acquaintance, or an indifferent loved one, take heart. Your words will penetrate ... eventually, you just have to be diligent and have patience.
Yes, patience and diligence will get you far.
8:30 PM PT: PS: I forgot to add. My mom, a registered Democrat, had patience and diligence with me. During all the fighting, screaming and phone hang ups, she never gave up.
You see, I used to be a Republican and now I'm a rabid Obama supporter. That's why I'm living proof that patience and diligence works.
So again, don't despair. There is hope. :-D