Quote:
Originally posted by Bad_Rich_Chic
Stand up and announce to Kerry (and Bush, and Dean, and Edwards) that this issue is sufficiently important that I don't accept their bullshit weasling about it, that I don't accept its being put on a back burner while "more important" things are addressed, and that I fucking expect my leaders to LEAD, even in the face of ignorance and fear among the wider populace. I think the fact that the leaders of (both! Cheney with his "I think the states should regulate marriage as they see fit" wiggle was bad, but shockingly that's better than any Dem candidate has offered) major parties in this country have come out and publicly said that they think discrimination against gays is just fine and dandy is horrific. My acquiessence in that would only make it moreso.
|
I don't think voting for Nader will accomplish your goal. To really send a message, you have to get involved at the local precinct caucus level (assuming you are a caucus state). At the caucus you can help fashion your party's platform -- at least on a local basis -- with regard to specific issues. And you have a say in who is your party's candidate for local races. A vote for Nader is not only ambiguous but too late. No one looking at the election results will know whether people who vote for him are doing so because of his stand on the environment, consumer rights or gay rights.
If your state doesn't have caucuses, then write snail mail** letters to the people who represent you in city, state and federal government and the people who are responsible for nominating candidates. If you want to tell them the issue is important, do it directly and not with an indirect vote for the candidate who is even farther away than where your want the country to go.
**From what I understand, an actual paper letter is viewed as the equivalent of many emails because they assume that for every person who took the time to write, there are X number of people who felt the same way but didn't sit down to get paper, an envelope and a stamp. The least weight is given to form emails and clicks on online polls because the person sending them doesn't have to make much of an effort.
My caucus is next Tues. I live in GOP central so have a good chance of being selected as a representative to the next level of Democratic caucus, just by showing up.
