Think of all the countries which, inspired by the U.S. example, overcame much worse odds overcoming oppression. Solidarnosc formed in 1980 and by 1989 emerged as the first Eastern Block nation, precipitating the break up of all of the Eastern Block. I'm sure some of you know more than I. Let's make a list here on dailyKos of all of the recent triumphs around the world to inspire us. Many countries have overcome censorship and suppressed votes and leaders manipulating their fears and hatreds. We don't have to let them manipulate us.
You will find, below the fold, a different way of looking at the whole miserable charade.
- We may have lost because of votes not counted, because of cheating and intimidation, but we also lost because we failed to persuade. This race shouldn't have been close. And here I blame myself. I know how to persuade, but I let myself get so bent out of shape by the rantings of people on the right that I forgot my tactics, I forgot that first yoiu listen, then you find common ground, then you edge them over your way with a story, a fact, a fresh angle. We Kossacks are a damn fine bunch with excellent minds. We will win. Just a little later. And this is a tool to use: Persuasion. Now is actually not too late. So go ahead. Read Lakoff's "Elephant," then walk into the lion's den and talk to the "enemy" one by one.
- Remember the mixed blessing of having George W. Bush clean up his own mess. A broken economy, a useless, disastrous war based on a lie. Things are about to go chaotically wrong and I certainly would rather have had Kerry fix them. But having America go noticeably wrong, with no one to blame but those right wingnuts, WILL destroy them for a half century. And then maybe they'll leave us in peace to fix this mess. (I know, it's like lopping your head off to cure a headache.)
- Put it in perspective. Last year Howard Dean was the sole legitimate voice saying "the emperor has no clothes." We're a huge country. It's like turning the Titanic around. But just six months ago Richard Clarke was on 60 minutes and now the country is only 3 degrees away from a full reversal More than half of America thinks we're going the wrong way. a couple of years ago, I thought I was it---the only person in America who knew what a disaster Bush was. Now even people voting for him say so.
- Get Delay. My sister said she heard Ronnie Earle's funding is going to end in a few months. Is there anything we can do? If we raised money, could it be used? He is one of the jokers at the bottom of the Republican house of cards that we need to yank out.
- Remember who we are. We are the educated, the creative, the freethinkers, the embracers of life. We don't live in fear: not of terrorists (at least not to the extent that Bush supporters do.) Who are we to be afraid of Bush?
- One last thing: a quote from Molly Ivins about Kerry's Senate record: "Three extraordinary investigations: into the connection between the Nicaraguan Contras and cocaine traffic; into BCCI, the bank used by crooks and terrorists; and the long, painful resolution of the MIA question, finally leading to resumed relations with Vietnam. Each one is remarkable -- all three together show integrity, courage and an amazing capacity for sustained hard work. The number of people with power who didn't want any of those subjects touched was legion."
- Now your assignment for today class, is to write a diary showing those three excellent qualities, for Kerry, for our country, for yourself.
Integrity,
Courage
And an amazing capacity for sustained hard work