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Edited on Tue Nov-30-04 12:42 AM by pat_k
Yes, time is short, but don't allow yourself to get beaten down by the notion that some clock is running out on us.
Those "deadlines" are not real deadlines. There are no consequences specified for casting electoral votes after "the date specified" or conveying them to the Archivist late. It is all under the discretion of Congress. And Congress is subject to public pressure. They tried to trump the law with their failed Impeachment. Public opinion thwarted them.
Their sputtering about Jesse Jackson is actually a good sign. They are pulling their usual "shoot the messenger" ploy. It is harder to "shoot the messenger" when We the People are the messenger. When people who were forced to face intolerable barriers stand up and tell their stories. When we stand up and say "Not in MY America. This I WILL NOT tolerate!"
What can we do to enlist lawyers and plaintiffs to bring discrimination suits? There has been money solicited for legal action around recounts, but what about discrimination suits? That is where I believe the focus must be. Public hearings. Compile video taken of the horrible lines.
It is OUR voice we are fighting for. Yes, I wish more politicians and opinion makers were speaking out, but I believe that we may actually have a greater chance of successfully moving public and political thought "on our own."
And I don't think I'm just trying to "make lemonade out of lemons." Think about it. If Kerry had not conceded, it would be about all about Kerry trying to overturn the election. It would just be another battle of the professionals that We the People sat back and watched, waiting for the outcome.
Their failure is an opportunity for us to mobilize and engage in the effort and prove to ourselves that we really do have the power. Their failure means that we can not, and must not, just watch and wait and report what's happening (or complain about what is not happening). We must dive in and fight for ourselves; we must draw the line and demand the rejection of suspect and discriminatory election results. We must find ways to make this demand in our courts of law, in the "public square," and in the halls of Congress.
Even Madsen recommends citizen action as the number one focus. See post 80 in the QA with him (his user name in the Q&A thread is Casolaro). I for one plan to take his advice.
We have our work cut out for us.
Our group is drafting a pledge for members of Congress. There are a couple other efforts we are considering, but right now it looks like the primary focus will be on lobbying members of the House and Senate to sign the pledge, and to use it to challenge those who do not in as public a way as possible (e.g., Failure to sign is complicity with racism -- a concrete and productive accusation aimed at promoting action, not just complaining).
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