The USC extension campus in Irvine is back to normal now. All the Priuses with the gnarly bumper stickers left the parking lot long ago. Life in Orange County has returned to normal, now that DFA Training Academy has moved on to the next location...
Or has it? Now, we have some 110 people who have gone through this training, and know how to make a difference. We have four Congressional candidates who have endured the training, and are ready to rumble (and take down some sleazy Republican incumbents). Ron Shepston in the 42nd District, Bill Hedrick in the 44th District, Hoyt Hilsman in the 26th District, and Michael Wray in the 50th District have now gone through the training, and so have their future teams of activists in their respective areas. Local grassroots groups for Barack Obama, John Edwards, Dennis Kucinich, and Bill Richardson (OK, and some Nevada staffers for Richardson also trekked down for this!) now know what they need to do to grow and put their grassroots energy to use. And now, local advovacy groups know how to get their message out more effectively.
Follow me down below for more on all the great things we learned, and how we all intend to put them into practice...
(Cross-posted at The Liberal OC and Calitics)
So where do we go from here? We can begin putting our plans into action. OK, so some of us may still be working on our plans. One thing that I've learned over the weekend is that we'll never get anywhere if we don't begin with a well-thought-out plan. We need to work on attainable goals, and on a good plan to move us to our goals.
OK, so our goals are in place and our plan is set. Where do we go next? Well, I used to be so afraid of recruiting volunteers. Now I can see how to do it. Fundraising used to scare me. Now I see how this can be done. I just shouldn't be afraid to ask. And I should be more shameless.
OK, I think I need some practice. May I start with you? OK, then. Would you please check out DFA Night School? The night school covers many of the same topics that were covered during last weekend's training. Go over and view the archives if you missed the training, and sign up for the Fall Semester!
And now, here's my next request for you. Can you help our local campaigns and grassroots groups? If you're supporting a candidate and/or cause, the best way to see it happen is to actually get out and make it happen! If you're anywhere near the 42nd District, sign up to help Ron Shepston. If you're anywhere near the 44th District, sign up to help Bill Hedrick. If you're supporting Barack Obama for President in Orange County, join us at Obama OC. If you're supporting John Edwards in San Diego, join San Diego for Edwards. If you're supporting Hillary Clinton in LA, join Angelenos for Hillary. Just get involved in your neighborhood, no matter what specific campaign you're joining. After all, what good is all this information that we just learned if we never use it?
So are you with me here? Can I count on YOU to get active, and practive what you learn? Let's start making our hopes and dreams come true by making a plan of action, and then executing it. : )
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
Bill Hedrick is a Democratic candidate in the 2008 congressional elections for the 44th Congressional District of California, which includes Riverside. He is seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge incumbent Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.). The primary will take place on June 3, 2008.
Questions and serious concerns remain about controversial comments made by Bill Hedrick while president of the Rialto Teacher's Union. In 2005, a verbal argument erupted between a young middle school girl and her teacher, George Warren. Later, the girl accused George Warren of sexually harassing her. Soon, other female students came forward as well, corroborating a pattern of sexual harassment carried out by George Warren.
The school district conducted an investigation. At its conclusion, George Warren announced he would no longer serve as a middle school teacher.
Bill Hedrick, then and still president of the Rialto Teachers Union, made it clear that Warren had been cleared by the school board, had simply retired of his own choice and that the sexual harassment allegations had nothing to do with his decision.
Do you believe Bill? Did he protect a child sex predator?"
See story at: http://www.zerointelligence.net/archives/000623.php
Bill Hedrick, president of the Rialto teachers union, made it clear that Warren had been cleared by the school board, had simply retired of his own choice and that the sexual harassment allegations had nothing to do with his decision. Some have accused Bill Hedrick of protecting a child sex predator/child molester since he is not a lawyer and thus would have no legal duty to defend the actions of George Warren. In a statement published on the Daily Kos website, Bill Hedrick did not deny he defended George Warren nor did Hedrick assert that any of the facts contained in the zerointelligence.net blog were untrue.
Post a Comment