DU I need your help for a Crowdsourcing project

[erodriguez]

I'm a very vocal person when it comes to politics.

I believe that government should be a tool for citizens to protect them from harm, be it physical, mental or economical. I believe that power lays in organizing and action. I believe in the dignity of work and the value of unions.

For a couple of months now, I have been getting into arguments with people who feel that unions are horrible for our country. These arguments have become progressively more heated since the attempt by Scott Walker to break Wisconsin public workers unions.

I've started a website and am asking for donations to send a pair of comfortable shoes to President Obama so he may stand with the workers in Wisconsin, Ohio or wherever else. I know that it is basically symbolic, and that the President has probably made up his mind one way or the other. However, symbols have strength.



This is where you come in.

Knowledge is probably the most important weapon in our arsenal.

I am looking for articles, links, videos, and statistics that would be worthwhile to include on the fact sheets or the site about the value of unions, collective bargaining and what is driving push against them.

You can publish your info in this thread. PM me or email me at [email protected]


I am also looking for people that would like to participate in the shoe sending project. My idea is to get a person from each state to send a picture of their shoes along with a message to the President. These messages and photos would be shared on the website and physically put in the shoe box.


One, last thing. I am trying to get the site up and running as quickly as possible. Any help would be welcome: design, editing, marketing, strategy, whatever. I am having trouble particularly with the front page header. If you are familiar with wordpress or PHP and could offer me some help or steer me in the right direction to correct the problem, I'd be greatly appreciative.


www.comfortableshoesforobama.org

[HereSince1628]

1. Use Irony and humor, arguing with the other side is pretty unproductive.

Arguments generally shore up support in the choir and in people leaning toward the choir.

A LOT of good can be done by providing accurate information. But even there psychologists tell us that even when confronted with the truth an opponent will just become more intransigent. Reason fails.

So my advice is to penetrate the armor of the opposition using something they don't expect and aren't ready to reject--humor and irony.

The people on your side will love it, and it can get to the opponents in a way that direct argument cannot.

[erodriguez]

2. Thanks for the suggestion

Do you have any examples of this?

[HereSince1628]

3. Specifically no. Generally, YES

Pay attention to Mahr and Colbert and the methods they use. Read THE ONION.

You'll grasp the general notion...lead people into one thought and then surprise them with something that follows directly but is incongruous with their anticipation. The old bait and switch is the name of the game.

[erodriguez]

4. kick for the afternoon