Don't despair. Have faith in your ability to make a difference.
Have confidence in what you believe. Speak it!
--Dennis J. KucinichGood Folk of NC,
Yes!!! Our state campaign for Dennis Kucinich was a success! The NC Democratic Party released official results on April 30, showing that Dennis won 11.7 % of the caucus vote on April 17 (incidentally, the NCDP has sat up and taken notice!). North Carolina will send 4 delegates for Kucinich to Boston in July <2 from D-4 (Chapel Hill, Durham, part of Wake Co.), 1 from D-5 (Boone, West Jefferson, part of Forsyth Co.), and 1 from D-11 (Asheville region)>. While, of course, we wish there were many more delegates for Dennis, we are very pleased that we did so well, given the current political climate and media culture. Thanks to all of you who have contributed to this success with your money, time, energy and votes! (See some of the news reports, archived at
http://www.godennis.com/.)
With the NC caucus now behind us, our work might seem "done" in some regards, but there is still much work to do in NC to help realize the Progressive Vision generally, and specifically to support the Kucinich Campaign as the convention in Boston draws nearer. Please read on!!!
Following are some concrete things you can do:
Get involved in local and regional politics! One of the main goals of Dennis' campaign is to transform the Democratic Party from within with a massive infusion of grassroots' participation and energy. (Perhaps you have seen the bumper sticker that says "Democracy is Not a Spectator Sport!") As a significant group of volunteers committed to progressive solutions to problems and issues, we have the ability to make our collective voice be heard, and to make a real difference. Our continued support for Dennis and the Progressive Vision means we try to increase numbers in the Progressive Caucus in Congress of which he is Co-chair; and to make NC more receptive to Dennis' vision by making local and regional politics more progressive from the bottom up. If you have not done so already, get involved with your local precinct, attend your county Democratic Party meetings, and perhaps consider running for a local office yourself! If you need information, feel free to contact us and we will be glad to help.
Participate in the founding convention of the Progressive Democrats of North Carolina (to be proposed as a formal auxiliary to the NCDP, as well as a PAC) on June 5 at the New Garden Friends Meeting, 801 New Garden Road, Greensboro. For more information and to register, go to:
http://greendogs.org/June_5.htm.Contribute to the Kucinich Campaign; and continue to tell others about the campaign. Though you hear very little about it in the national news, as of today, there are 10 more states who have yet to have their primaries and caucuses. (See:
http://www.kucinich.us/up_states.php.) Today voters in Nevada and West Virginia go to the polls to apportion their delegates to the Democratic National Convention. The more delegates Dennis gets, the more his/our voice will be heard inside the Democratic Convention. To this end, the campaign still needs your financial support!
Go here to contribute to NC's goal of $28,000 (that about $20 per person on this list!):
https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=40277&supId=10234577Collect signatures! To help align the party platform with the values of most Democratic voters, we are collecting signatures for five petitions, reflecting our most urgent national priorities, from ending the occupation of Iraq, to jobs and trade, and LGBT civil rights. Our goal is to present a million signatures to the Democratic Party Platform Committee when it meets at the end of June, as a complement to our efforts on the ground at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. Carry the petitions with you, and join with friends to table in public places and at special events. (At an Ani DiFranco concert in Asheville, Saturday, May 8, we got over 300 petitions signed! And believe it or not, there were still folks who had never heard of Dennis Kucinich!) You can sign the petitions online, and print out copies (PDF format) of the petitions here:
http://www.kucinich.us/petitions/Plan to go to Boston in July! Kucinich supporters from all over the country will be converging in Boston the week of the convention. Please join the growing contingent of Kucinich supporters from North Carolina who will be there. Participating in the wide variety of events during the convention will be a powerful way for those not selected as national delegates to express their solidarity with the platform the Kucinich campaign represents, from outside the convention walls. The campaign is in the process of arranging transportation and housing for Kucinich supporters. If you think you might be interested, go here to find out more:
http://www.kucinich.us/convention.php. If you are thinking of coming to Boston for the convention, please contact
[email protected]. You might also want to check out the Boston Social Forum:
http://www.bostonsocialforum.org/content.php?content.9.Finally, we leave you with a bit of inspiration. Watch this video clip of Dennis in Asheville addressing environmental concerns -- from his April 3rd visit to NC!
Dennis in Asheville, North Carolina on April 3, 2004
See a video clip of the Asheville address here:
http://www.kucinich.us/talksabout/environment-talksabout.php In the spirit of peace and justice,
Susan Reed and Orus Barker
Co-coordinators, NC for Kucinich
How it all works out depends on our own willingness,
our faith in ourselves, that we can make a difference.
--Dennis J. Kucinich
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