I was at a meeting recently local Democratic activists held. The talk was more the same of what was needed, but little action provided in making it happen. My thoughts were borderline. On one side of the fence, it's stuff I have heard time and time again. On the other side, however, is a will to believe as I did in 2008 that 2010 could be the year we change this state. A will that has never died.
What I am sick and tired of is the constant talk we do as Democratic activists, leaders and elected members in the state that produces no action. It's great that we can get invigorated amongst ourselves, but what are we doing to get more on the outside involved?
Going door-to-door? Making phone calls? Sending letters out to registered voters? Hey, that's fine. But it's also nothing new.
At this meeting, I spoke out. I said that more of us need to not be afraid of who we are and we need to speak out. We need to confront the lies and rhetoric head-on and offer the truth to counter it. We need to have house meet-ups in our neighborhoods, inviting our neighbors so we can show them the truth while we embrace their questions for it.
We need to be the party we alwasy say we are: An inclusive party. Instead of letting the few stand up for everything, we need to have more of a presence.
I have people come to me and constantly say they aren't good letter-writers, they can't speak in public, etc. Well, then I suppose our state party needs to pay attention tho this and offer help to those looking for tools to get the message out. If we can provide assistance to them, training to help them then maybe we can build from there and expand our base of confident people.
That's what it boils down to, right? Having the confidence, the know-how? Then, it's easy.
And again, it's not.
People need to have others reach out to them. But people also need to know they are not forgotten. The emotions are running high in this nation, and this state is at the top. What is it going to take to get others who share our values and views to be more willing to join in our activism?
We need to have a 46-county strategy, similar to former DNC chair Howard Dean's 50-state strategy. Use the funds we receive at a state level and dispose equally amongst the counties, provide specific training and have state party staff in all counties of the state. I know it sounds unattainable to some. That's the problem.
It should be attainable to all. We should be so active in the state that this idea of action is a no-brainer to all S.C. residents. However, we still have people in the mindset who vote "friends" into offices rather than the right person for the job that is needed to be done.
For decades and decades, we have suffered under the Red State Doctrine. A doctrine that has left the state poor - its people, its schools, its infrastructure, its employment opportunities and so on. But, no... We would much rather vote friends into offices instead of doing what's right and changing our leadership from Republican to Democratic.
Instead, we let the state GOP fear us to hell with national fear mantra - abortion, gun rights, religion. Messages that are so simple to defend against, but we stay quiet.
Enough is enough.
There is no need to be quiet on issues the state GOP attacks us on. We can counter every single issue with what state GOP leaders have NOT done for us locally. I am assuming that the reason we don't do this is because friendship is too important.
I feel something is more important.
When you stick the Democratic label beside your name, you are sticking the Democratic principles beside you as well. For any Democratic candidate to run away from them is truly embarrassing.
We need Democratic candidates this time. TRUE Democratic candidates. The ones who are going to fight for the common good of our state and its people.
It has been too long of a wait for the drastic change we need in this state. Pretty soon, this state will be true mockery. The Republicans have allowed the door to open. The people who give acceptance to the GOP will keep the door open for years to come.
It's time to be Democratic, people. It's time to stand up against the Red State Doctrine in S.C. and demand better leadership. It's time to throw caution to the wind and stand up for common principles we all believe in. Our state's future is at stake.
Are you willing to allow the door to stay open to mockery and failure?
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