Hey

[WilliamPitt]

I want to apologize for some of the inflammatory stuff I threw against the wall here over the weekend. I was pretty pissed - I still am pissed - about what was done to Andy, but the reactions I posted here were unseemly.

Memo to the objects of those messages: You're not off the hook.

I have been asked to deliver Andy's eulogy in Seattle on Saturday. I was hoping to collect in this thread any memories you may have of time with Andy, conversations, experiences, personal feelings. It would be a gross misstep for my eulogy to focus only on how I feel about his passing, who he was and what he did. Andy was a part of this community, and I would like to be able to speak for this community when I stand for him.

Thanks.

[Just Me]

1. He proved himself a pure-hearted progressive,...

,...who advocated for "the people's" vital role in sustaining a democracy.

[proud patriot]

2. His sense of humor and smile shine through for me

:hug: Always coming up with ideas such boundless
passion for Justice and fairness .

Peace

[greatauntoftriplets]

3. In my case, I could give you hundreds, no thousands, of anecdotes....

But today, I have been thinking a lot about the night Andy and I wrote this little ditty together. He really hated the smell of Subway stores...after it was sold, he told me that he could not pass one of them without hating the smell.

Also, what a good time he had with my family with whom Andy shared his last Christmas.

I cannot be there Saturday. It is the anniversary of my father's death...and my 93-year-old mother is extremely frail...more so at this time of year. But I will be there in spirit.

The Smell of Subway


Hello Subway my old friend,
I’ve come to eat here once again.
Because my stomach it was growling,
Left me weak ‘cause I was standing.
And the sandwich that was planted in my brain still remains,
Within the Smell of Subway.

In hunger pains I walked along,
City streets at night alone.
Underneath the Subway swoosh sign,
Loosed my belt and burped real good,
When my eyes were stabbed by the flash of the “closed” sign,
That wrecked my life,
And ruined my night at Subway.

And in the naked light I saw,
Ten thousand Subway sandwiches, maybe more.
Sandwiches waiting to be eaten,
Employees making Subways that mouths never share,
No one dare disturb the Smell of Subway.

Fools said I you do not know,
Hunger like a cancer grows.
Give me Subway oregano-parmesan bread that I might feed me,
Serve me turkey, ham and cheese to sustain me.
But my words like silent raindrops fell,
And echoed in the closed-for-the-night Subway smell.

And the people bowed and prayed
To the Subway sandwich they made.
And the aroma wafted out its warning,
In the Subway sandwiches they were forming,
And the signs said
The prices of sandwiches are written
On the Subway walls and paper menus,
And scented the Smell of Subway.

[AmBlue]

19. That's sweet!!!! LOL n/t

[RummyTheDummy]

67. ATTENTION:

You're one e-mail to the Subway people away from ridding my TV of the annoying Jared guy. They get wind of this he's history. It's brilliant.

[im10ashus]

4. Will...

...I met him once in person. The 2 things that were impressive to me was his passion for VVPB and more importantly, his long-term relationship with Ted. I think the latter is as much a reflection on who he was than anything. Straight or gay, LTR's are WORK and take dedication, understanding and unconditional love, from both sides. Just my impression of the man and his life. Thanks!

[applegrove]

5. I didn't know Andy - but someone who did suggested we make

Ballot the "voting transparency mascot". I immediately saw the little terrier leading the march on Washington with the pitter patter of little steps.

Someone who knew him said give it a couple of days.

Also check out the beautiful graphic of "Ballot" made out of the US constitution.

Sorry for your loss and all of what you great friends of Andy have had to put up with.

Sorry mostly for Andy. That his last few months of life were not without trauma because of rumour and freepers.

I think that alone shows how important people like Andy are the the cause. As a human being - he accomplished allot and impressed and affected many. Including the freepers obviously. The compassion & empathy that were part of Andy's story obviously frightened them a great deal.

[troubleinwinter]

44. Here is 'Ballot'

[cyberpj]

74. That's just incredibly beautiful. What a wonderful tribute. nt.

[Oversea Visitor]

6. Stage 2

Cold control anger very focus. Cool, but hey nice to be a raging maniac once in a while no problems with that hehe.

" Andy represented everyone in the world when he took on the fight on voting fraud. .... For the People, By the People. Thank you Andy.
Rest in Peace." Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur.

[Luminous Animal]

7. Grace and equinamity...

is the way he dealt with those who worked against him. It was remarkable and rare.

[GardeningGal]

8. I didn't know him personally

But he really caught my attention with the voter verified paper ballot issue - especially after the last election.

My impression was that he was a committed person trying to do the right thing for our country and the privilege we have of voting. And on top of that, he liked gardening! Nothing better to me! He became an unsung hero to me and I'm devastated that I will not be able to meet him in person.

When he became so ill, I contributed what I could to make sure he had the best care possible. I knew we needed him in the fight.

I signed up for the DU Activist forum in memory of Andy. It's not something I'm particularly comfortable with, but I'm hopeful that I'll feel Andy sitting on my shoulder when necessary telling me how to get my point across.

I loved him even though I never met him. I know I'll meet him someday in another dimension.

[merh]

9. `

:hug:

[Oversea Visitor]

17. So you

ran from Dennis hey.Glad you safe hey

[WilliamPitt]

10. .

[VelmaD]

11. I think it's important to talk about...

how big his heart was. He just opened up and let people in and made them feel special.

And as has been mentioned above, you gotta talk about him singing. He sang all the time. Just about every time I called him he'd pick up the phone and instead of saying "hello" I'd get his big booming Ethel Merman impersonation. :)

[Q]

12. I never met Andy...but we exchanged many emails...

He considered himself an 'old school' Democrat and rejected the politics of the 'new' Democrats and their 'third way' enabling and appeasement.

He was a good person, true Democrat and American.

Here's a couple examples of his messages:


Q I respect you very much and would like....
From: Andy_Stephenson
Date: Mar-01-04 08:08 PM

• your opinion. I have drawn a line in the sand. Your either with us or against us...as far as paper ballots go. I am sending a statement of principal around to legislators for their signature. If they refuse to sign I am calling for them to be replaced. Is this a bit too strong or is the right to vote important enuf to take this stance?
•
• Thanks in advance
•
• Andy
•
•
• Here is the statement
•
• Statement of Principle for Clean Voting
•
• "When we introduced electronic technology into our election system, we created changes which provide opportunities to tamper. These vulnerabilities may allow incorrect results on an unprecedented number of votes at once. We believe that we must implement more robust safeguards for a trustworthy voting system. We therefore endorse the following statement of principle:
•
• Electronic voting systems, as they now stand, present a clear and present danger to democracy.
•
• - If electronic voting systems are used at all, we insist that they produce a paper ballot, verified by the voter at the time the vote is cast, and placed in a ballot box.
•
• - We insist on unbiased voter registration procedures.
•
• - We insist on the implementation of improved procedures to audit elections.
•
•
• Sign the Statement of Principle for Clean Voting. Your e-mail address is needed to verify your statement, but will not be published or given to any other group



--------------------------------


Q...
From: Andy_Stephenson
Date: Nov-03-03 04:31 PM

• :yourock:
•
• Have I told you that lately? It is posters like you...that have given me the courage to run for Secretary of State. Know this my ethics are in place and I am a Democrat of the old school type.
•
• Andy

[greatauntoftriplets]

13. Hi Q...

Andy respected you a lot. We talked about you many times.

[Q]

22. Hi...

...I've always enjoyed Andy and his down to earth, uncompromising politics.

He personified what to me is a true Democrat and Patriot...someone unwilling to compromise principles in order to win a few votes.

I'll miss him.

[elshiva]

14. Thank you, Mr. PItt!

:) :yourock:

[AmBlue]

15. Andy helped me with an Election Fraud forum...

...held here in Pinellas County a few months ago, well after his cancer diagnosis. I wanted to speak at the forum and also draft a flyer addressing the issue of the language problem of "paper trail" vs. "paper ballot" because I had actually heard some of the forum panel members (on our local progressive radio station) still using the words "trail" and "receipt."

I wanted to get it right and, frankly, my courage needed some bolstering as I had never done anything like this before. So a personal friend of mine (and Andy's, coincidentally) put us in touch. I was completely amazed at how this very sick man gave me his cell number and was so willing to take my calls, whenever I called, even though he obviously felt bad. I would offer to call back at a better time and he would insist he was okay. He always promptly returned my calls and more than once said, "Gosh, I wish somehow I could fly down there." And I know he would have if he could. Over the span of about a week, I felt well prepared and had a nice, screaming yellow, and very informative flyer printed up and placed on the literature table at the forum. Everyone was carrying them by the end of the forum.

The thing that stays with me the most about Andy is that he was such a kind and caring soul, so totally devoted to his cause, even to his own detriment, and so utterly selfless in sharing his gift. He was the truest of patriots. He cared about America and all of her people in a way that is rarely seen. Even though I never met him face to face, I deeply feel the loss of him to this community and to the world. I will never forget Andy Stephenson.

[frictionlessO]

16. Andy made an activist out of me!!!

Andy was my inspiration in that feeling I am not alone and that no matter what I believe I have a right to an honest and verifiable vote in our elections. I saw in him an everyman who made good on his passions and gave till he couldn't anymore.

I aspire to be like him, if only I had half the heart that he did. He showed how 1 person can make a difference to so many and that you didn't have to be aloof and arrogant to do it.

[Minstrel Boy]

18. Thanks, and sorry for being pissy myself.

Not the best of times, these times.

[graywarrior]

20. Most engaging and attractive quality: humility.

In his PM's anyway.

[helderheid]

49. yes, that was my impression as well -

Andy and I traded a few emails here and there - I was so impressed that he took the time to respond to me so quickly. He was always ready to help me out, which I appreciated so much. I was also blown away by how he kept fighting and researching and working to uncover the crimes committed against our democracy while he was so ill. I remember DUers telling him to GO BACK TO BED and get some rest but he couldn't put his work down. I was and still am in awe of him. As you said, Andy was so humble.

[anarchy1999]

21. Hey Will, please put your passion towards VFP National Convention,.

Thank you ever so much. You have been at the last two, please play a part at this next one.

[roguevalley]

23. People like Andy leave hope in their wake because he was

fighting for the rights and citizenship of us all. For someone who is a dot of blue in a very red state, he was hope. He was my brother even though I have never met him and he will be an honored memory for me and my family forever. Things like this, they have no good reason. Sometimes, they are what they are or perhaps God needed a good man, Either way, he made his space and the world better with his efforts and even though he has passed, his memory will always linger.

From someone who was grateful to him in Alaska

[orleans]

24. even those of us who never met andy

cried long and hard
understanding that his passion, dedication & fight for the paper ballots was so very important and with his passing we have lost a tremendous force.

[VelmaD]

25. More thoughts on Andy...

I think one of the things that stood out about Andy was how he was always thinking of other people. You've heard the story about him and my nephew so I won't repeat it here. It's just one example. No matter how bad he felt he always wanted to know how my day went. Everyone knows how much he sacrificed for the big things...what they may not know is that that same selflessness was there in the little things too. He gave everything of himself to other people.

Enough of the mushy. He was also a drama queen. I mean that in the best sense of the word. He had a HUGE personality and a wicked sense of humor and loved to play with the cliches. He loved show tunes and didn't care who knew it. Bright loud colors. Some of the god-awful ugliest shirts you've ever seen. A big laugh. And the way his Texas accent would come out when he was tired...or when he wanted to wheedle something out of me. :)

[shance]

26. I didnt know Andy either, other than here at DU

and didn't interact in the threads but I see his picture on so many peoples posts. It is both touching and sad. It's a reminder that one of our toughest voting activists is not with us anymore. At least here in this dimension.

I don't know much of what happened towards the end, and what I have come to know, however limited, appears to be pretty heartbreaking. He fought so hard for fair voting, to get rid of the electronic trojan horse machines, and for someone who's been active on the issue for about the same amount of time as he was, although not nearly to his degree, I can say it has not been an easy road. I certainly watched Andy and others put themselves in the line of fire that both concerned and inspired me.

Andy, like you said, was a part of this community, and a very large, significant part at that.

[bettyellen]

27. i love what people have written here.

so thanks.
:loveya:

[hiley]

28. This thread is very nice and it helps a lot.

:grouphug:

Andy was an angel to me and he is now too...
hiley

[Swamp Rat]

29. He had a friend in me.

... though, I am but a drop in a bucket.

[hiley]

33. Swamp Rat

please, don't sell yourself short. I think you are priceless !
Hugs,
Hiley

[wookie294]

35. Swamp Rat's 'drop' is added to OUR DROPS

That's a big drop!!! It's an OCEAN, fer chrissake! Andy lives in the rest of us.

[Minstrel Boy]

57. "He never done no wrong"

He was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine
Every time I think about him now
Lord I just can't keep from cryin'
'Cause he was a friend of mine

He died on the road
He died on the road
He never had enough money
To pay his room or board
And he was a friend of mine

I stole away and cried
I stole away and cried
'Cause I never had too much money
And I never been quite satisfied
And he was a friend of mine

He never done no wrong
He never done no wrong
A thousand miles from home
And he never harmed no one
And he was a friend of mine

He was a friend of mine
He was a friend of mine
Every time I hear his name
Lord I just can't keep from cryin'
'Cause he was a friend of mine.

[Solly Mack]

30. Mention his smile. Andy had a beautiful smile.

It touched every part of his face.

[Pachamama]

37. He smiled with his eyes...the best kind of smile there is!

:)

[EFerrari]

31. When I asked for help for Andy, I could not keep up with the flood

of people who responded, literally could not keep up.

I have never seen such an outpouring of love, gratitude and concern for anyone, ever. It was humbling.

Thank you, Will.

[wookie294]

32. No need to apologize

I use message boards, in part, to vent! Sometimes I feel a bit guilty for getting a bit too "pissed off." I think you know what I mean. You're among friends here, Mr. William Pitt, so no need to apologize. I didn't know Andy, but have been a DU lurker reading about his awesome work for the last few months. Your article about him released on e-mail tonight was awesome and touching. After reading your article, I wished I had met Andy in DC. Take care, internet friend!

[Helga Scow Stern]

34. Andy PM'd me when I was posting about the Kevin Shelley coup...

I didn't know him at all, but he gave me his phone number and said we had to talk.

He told me how much he liked and trusted Kevin Shelley, but that he didn't trust the attorney general for settling with Diebold so quickly and easily.

He convinced me to sign up for Yahoo Messenger so we could Instant Message as we dug for the goods on Lockyer, the California AG.

I'll never forget how at home I felt with Andy that one night online, the humor and excitement that came through when we found a connection between a Lockyer campaign donor and Karl Rove.

I still have that Yahoo IM account. Everytime my computer comes on, it comes up and there is a little ghosty grey smiley face for Andy Stephenson.

Then I asked Andy later if he would look over some of the posts on an election protection list to see if they jived with his understanding of the California scene. I'll never forget his willingness to help, even though he was sick, and especially, the graciousness with which he was still willing to give people the benefit of the doubt.

Andy proved to me in the very short time I knew him that he was a man of solid integrity with a big heart that was willing to forgive people their pettiness.

I have no doubt that Andy will continue to help us once he gets settled.

[cry baby]

36. I just think he was an inspiration to get active.

He always reminded me of the Nike commercial "Just do it".

[ClayZ]

38. His words educated me.

He was a teacher. I don't forget my teachers!

[fooj]

39. Andy had a huge capacity to love. Unconditionally.

Love for Termite. Love of this country and the democracy that defines it. Love of decency and honor. Love of life. His tireless pursuit for truth and justice was an inspiration to so many of us. Andy was real. He was authentic and genuine. He fought passionately for what he believed in. Andy represented all that is good in the world. I considered him an American Patriot.

His enthusiasm was contagious! He was hard to refuse. Why would you want to? He gave us direction. He gave us purpose. He gave us hope. He made many of us laugh again.

He was a gentle giant, yet, he was vulnerable. Human. He was one of us. I think that one of Andy's most endearing qualities is that he was so humble about the contributions he made. He just kept plugging away...fighting the good fight! I intend to honor my friend by keeping the promises that I made to him. I gave him my word. He would do exactly the same for me. Unconditionally.

Andy's spirit lives on in those who choose to continue the fight for our beloved country and for the preservation and integrity of our Constitution. One person can, indeed, make a difference.


Peace.

:patriot:

[DearAbby]

40. You could see the honesty and light in his eyes.

And it was via a photograph, it must be hundred fold in person. Andy had light, it shone all around him. Life is dimmed by his loss. We will find our way. But we do miss his light.

[wicket]

41. That's quite an honor

Delivering Andy's eulogy is quite an honor- congrats Will! I'm sure you'll make Andy proud :hug:

[eridani]

42. What I most admired about him--

--was that he didn't even look back when making his decision to sell his business and throw himself fully into election reform activism. Me, I'm too timid to give up the corporate health insurance and do the same. But Andy just wanted people on board doing whatever they could do. I ran into him frequently at local events, and supported his campaign for Secretary of State. He was delightful to be with in every way, even for a few minutes at a time.

I'll keep fighting for voter verified paper ballots and universal health care until my time is up. You are still leading the way, Andy.

[yowzayowzayowza]

43. IIRC, there was a story...

about Andy pursuing an exec for a BBV interview by laying in wait with a camera in a hedge for some time. ...that really put me in awe of his drive, determination and chutzpah.

[marions ghost]

45. I only knew Andy through DU

but somehow I associate him with the element of fire, a galvanizing spark...much needed in the moribund arena of election reform. The sad state of the byzantine US election system has been a concern of mine for many years, ever since I saw how easily elections can be stolen from an inside perspective. It was a shock, a rude awakening. And everyone I respected at the time rolled over and played dead in the face of it. Lots of lamentation but no action. Could there be a more ugly duckling cause than election reform? Everybody wants to pretend there isn't enough corruption to make a difference, and so it gets swept under the rug over and over again.

Andy Stephenson not only maintained that attitude was a lie, he acted to try to expose that lie. Election reform is basically a repair effort, a thankless clean-up job, made much more exciting lately by the introduction of machines that chomp votes and spit totals that can never be questioned. And we have allowed 30% of the country to "vote" (or have the illusion of voting) this way. As many here at DU have said, this is THE fundamental issue. It speaks to the most basic values, the integrity of our country, trust in our government. It can no longer be ignored. If our votes don't count, then we have no hope of addressing other corruptions and serious problems. Losing candidates aren't in the best position to take up this cause. But people like John Conyers, the grassroots fighters in the trenches in Ohio and Fla and other states, Jesse Jackson, Barbara Boxer, Robert Fitrakis, Thom Hartmann, John Bonifaz, Chuck Herrin, the DU election warriors--and our friend Andy Stephenson--these brave people now give me hope that something can and will be done. Andy helped cut to the chase as far as trustworthy elections are concerned--he hammered those simple words, "voter-verified PAPER BALLOTS" til at last it seems, they now have traction.

Some people's candle burns brightly on this earth for only a short time. Andy was more like a phosphorescent flare, touching so many hearts. His selfless dedication shone through, inspiring others to action. That kind of focus is rare. That kind of contribution to humanity is rare. Others here have used the words "unconditional love." We are starved for that in this country, starved for it in our leaders especially. Andy personified it. He had the kind of positive light that dispels gloom, that makes a long hard thankless task seem possible. He could get down to the details while keeping the big picture. There is no question that had he lived, he would have continued to fight the good fight. We must do that in his name.
NGU Election Justice and Reform
------------
BTW Thank for all your significant efforts too, Will. All best to you and those at the memorial. I know it will be sad. A good man is gone. Reminding us all-if you want to make a contribution in life, do it now.

[WilliamPitt]

46. .

[blm]

50. Gbnc & I battled fiercely yet cooed like lovebirds by the end of our posts

Must have driven the lurkers crazy. heheh

Some of my favorite battles were with Gbnc because they ultimately turned out to be so funny, and so sweet, and so bonding.

[Norquist Nemesis]

47. Holy Crap!

Dammit dammit dammit!!! I had NO IDEA! I've been away with no access since the Friday before the 4th.

This makes me so sad to learn this.

[ohio_liberal]

48. He exposed the fraud

and the fraudsters. He took a horrible whooping in the process and still managed to be the better person.

[ScreamingMeemie]

51. My children never met Andy, and yet everyday was started with the

question,"How is Andy?" We had donated to Andy and he had sent us a personal thank you (take that, idiots who believe he never thanked anyone) with a picture of him in a funny hat. We had put it on our fridge to keep him close in our thoughts. It is amazing how he touched the lives of so many who never got the chance to shake his hand...or hug him.

[hunter]

52. A hero deserves a ballad.

Can you sing WilliamPitt?

[goodboy]

53. I'm working on it. Don't know if I'll have words by Saturday, but I

should have a nice tune!

[fooj]

54. Oh goodboy...I hope I can make the service-

I'm sure the music will be beautiful. Thanks for all that you are doing to make this memorial a personal, loving tribute to a wonderful, precious human being.

peace.

[Cassandra]

55. I met Andy at the Question W revue during the Repuke convention.

He was still with Bev and we met up with Jeff (nostamj) and aquart and thoroughly enjoyed the show. Andy ended up sitting at my table with two of my friends and we were all laughing when one of the songs brought up electronic voting machines. After the show, most of us went around the corner to a bar with outdoor seating and sat out on a beautiful night. I ended up sitting next to Andy and he was talking about how worried he was about the election and the machines. I remember hoping he was wrong about how bad it could be. Eventually, he and Bev had to get some sleep because they were being interviewed (I think by CNN) the next morning so I offered to share a cab with them on my way uptown. That was the only time I met Andy and one of the last times I saw Jeff. I can't get my brain around the fact that they're both gone and way too soon.
Andy was sweet and sincere and passionate and a very fine human being.

[anarchy1999]

65. Andy, Jeff and Keph. It was way too soon for them and for all of us.

They are watching over us now, or maybe, just maybe they are back.

[WilliamPitt]

56. .

[In_The_Wind]

58. When I met Andy the first time I was impressed by his passion for life.

He had worked all day and over supper in Dublin, Ohio he said to all of us that night "If I die remember one thing Voter Verified Paper Ballots" and then he laughed while he told us about his new puppy with the very long name.

The next time I met him it was in NYC. Andy wanted Ted to meet his friends at DU. He insisted on visiting with his good friend bettyellen that night, he was so happy to see her.

As we sat alone on Saturday afternoon he told me what a very special friend you had been to him, how much he cared for you. I'm very sorry for your loss Will. :hug:

[eleny]

59. Andy stood for truth

Here is something from John Donne that came to me as soon as I heard Andy died:

"All mankind is one volume. When one man dies, one chapter is torn out of the book and translated into a better language. And every chapter must be so translated. God employs several translators. Some pieces are translated by age, some by sickness, some by war, some by justice. But God's hand shall bind up all our scattered leaves again for that library where every book shall lie open to another."
~John Donne
From "Devotions upon Emergent Occasions" (1623)

[Ladyhawk]

60. Here is a letter I wrote to friends of mine.

I didn't know Andy as well as some of you, but I still considered him a friend. Here is the letter I sent out upon his death. I related some experiences I had with Andy that showed him to be an incredibly compassionate person:

Dear Friends,

Last night, my friend Andy Stephenson lost his battle against pancreatic cancer. Andy was one of the sweetest people I ever had the pleasure to "meet" in cyberspace, a beautiful soul...and a warrior battling for fair and honest elections.

Andy never had an unkind word for anyone. The one time I disagreed with him, he was very concerned that I was "angry" with him and hastily wrote a private message to make sure I wasn't. The truth: I was the one who had gone a little over the top. I'd already apologized later in the thread, but he hadn't seen it. He took the time to make sure that there were no hard feelings. He was truly a beautiful soul.

Originally, Andy and I were scheduled to have our surgeries a few days apart in April. I was to have a double cervical diskectomy and fusion. He was having surgery to remove a cancerous tumor of the pancreas.

When I mentioned my upcoming surgery, Andy became very concerned for me. He was upset by of the recent losses of Khephra and nostamj (members of the Democratic Underground community) and didn't want to lose another DUer. Andy was the one with cancer, yet he was concerned about me. Andy was the one with the more difficult operation, yet he was concerned about me. Andy was the one facing a life and death struggle, yet he was concerned about me.

I am humbled as I type these words. In terms of human decency, Andy was the best. He had the "loving each other" thing down pat. I wish I could be more like Andy in that regard.

Andy, thank you for showing me what true caring is all about.

Laura

[SeattleGirl]

61. I had never met him

but had read his posts and other things about him for a long time, and through that, as well as comments and responses from DUers, came to know very quickly that he was truly a special person. I have a term for people like Andy: Angels in human suits. I've known a few in my life, some for a long time, some for only a brief encounter, but I could always feel their specialness. While they are certainly human, there is a quality about them that is transcendent, and I think Andy certainly had that. After Andy was admitted to Virginia Mason, someone (sorry, cannot recall who it was) posted a message asking for people to volunteer to help him with whatever he might need to help him out during his recovery. Since I live in Seattle, I responded to the post, as I thought I might be able to shop for him, help tidy the house, bring food by, whatever he needed. I got a PM from merh, suggesting that I PM Andy. I sent him several PM's but never got a response. I found out from merh that that was when Andy was starting to get really sick, and he was on a lot of medications. I'm sorry I never met him personally, but even though I didn't, he touched me as he did so many other people. I will be there Saturday to help honor this kind, funny, wonderful and amazing soul.

:loveya:

[redacted]

62. No need to apologize, Will. You are allowed to feel your feelings, and

after reading SFexpat's accounting -- I think your expression was appropriate was justified.

[anarchy1999]

63. Lots of Peace to you Will, and breath deep. What a cllique and how

very lame. Our hearts are with you.

You speak for us always.

[stevedeshazer]

64. Here's what I posted earlier, for what it's worth.

When Andy was running for Secretary of State in Washington, he posted here that he would be at a rally for union workers at an aluminum plant in Longview, Washington, an industrial town hard-hit by NAFTA and the outsourcing that resulted.

The company, ALCOA, had announced they were closing the plant and laying off hundreds of union workers; Andy had volunteered to speak, along with a number of union officials and their congressman, Brian Baird, a Democrat (and a genuinely good guy).

Being newly unemployed for the first time in twenty years, I decided to drive to Longview to catch the rally, even though I live across the river in Oregon. I wanted to show my support for the union workers, and thought I might meet Andy, especially since we were both DUers.

Well, I showed up about twenty minutes late. I had no idea what Andy looked like, and I didn't personally know anyone there, so I listened to the speeches by the union folks and Rep. Baird among a crowd of fired up union families and a smattering of media.

As I stood in the crowd, I ended up next to this red-haired fellow wearing a Subway cap who was practically leading the cheers. We looked at each other and nodded, admiring each others passion (he noticed how loud I was, too.) When I later saw his picture, I was stunned, realizing that we indeed had met, but neither of us knew who the other was!

So, I met him sort of, apparently having missed his speech by minutes. I'll always regret that.

But I knew the moment I saw the guy, he was on my side, and the side of those union workers.

He must have taken it upon himself to drive about 2-1/2 hours from Seattle to Longview just to be there for those union families whose jobs were being lost to the greed of the wealthy; indeed, that's why I went, too.

I'll always remember him for that.

[underseasurveyor]

66. What Andy did for me

Aside from the obvious, his hard work and his selfless devotion to a fair system that works for all of us whether you be on the Left or the right is...............

At a time when I was this close to giving up and feeling hopeless about my own corrupt government, Andy proved to me and truly made me believe in The Power of One. One person can and does make all the difference anywhere and anytime in the world. All it takes is One and we are all that One.
I know, I saw.
Bless You Forever Andy Stephenson.

[bettyellen]

68. ...

[WilliamPitt]

69. Onel last kick

[merh]

70. Andy's own words - What a Ballot is - 4/29/05

The following was written by Andy April 29, 2005. It is a draft, about which he said, "Just putting thoughts on paper right now. So in case something happens to me, god forbid...I have it down for others in the future."

"What a Ballot Is" ~ Andy Stephenson

What a ballot is. It is not merely a piece of paper it is me...it is my voice. Each of us should guard it more than we would our most prized or precious possession. That ballot protects our other possessions. Without it you have no say. Over the last couple of years I have been adamant about the need for a voter verified paper ballot. It has been the driving force behind what I have done and will continue to do. To me, my ballot is the most sacred sacrament of the secular religion we call Democracy.

I have traveled around this country meeting with Election Officials such as Mischelle Townsend. I sent her into a tailspin when I put a camera in her face. Mischelle Townsend as you remember was the County Registrar in Riverside CO. Ca. Mischelle is a drippy sweet kind of woman but underneath beats the heart of a true viper. Mischelle has unwavering faith in Sequoia Voting Systems. She is a huge proponent of paperless DRE's. Where is Mischelle now? Well last I heard she was at home tending to her father-in-law's knee. She spent her last day at work holed up in her office with the door closed to avoid cameras. David Elliot is another viper. David was the head honcho over at NASED. He was the one person most responsible for allowing DRE’s to be approved for use. David was another really bad guy. He told me that he would have liked to have been able to talk less formally “without the camera.” I am sure he would have. But hey…I wanted to keep him honest. David retired from service to the state to attend to a “nervous condition.” Another piece of work was Scott Konopasek. Scott was the Registrar in San Bernardino Co Ca. Scott was the man responsible for DRE’s in two places, Snohomish WA and San Bernardino CA. Scott once remarked that Bev and I were waging “Jihad”, but not in a “Palestine Israel sense of the word, but in more of a Northern Ireland sense of the word.” Excuse me but WTF? Scott is now a “consultant” I worry when former elections officials become consultants. The one thing all these people have in common is an undying faith in paperless voting. I would say that they were all crooked but that would get me sued so I won’t say it. But I had no faith that they were protecting the ballot.

Now I know that I have gotten off track here and talked about all the bad guys in elections but there are people protecting your ballot. Some examples are Freddie Oakley of Yolo County California, Ion Sancho of Leon County Florida and Kevin Shelly and Julie Anne Kempf formerly of King County Washington. These people are examples of people working hard to protect our right to vote and in the case of Julie Anne losing their job in the process. I have talked here about the people but not ballots up to this point. There is a reason for that. The first group of people is out to get your ballot the second wants to preserve your ballot.

There are currently many definitions and thoughts on the subject of ballots. Some would argue that paper records or paper trails can serve the same purpose as a paper ballot. All legislation I see coming from Washington these days talk of Paper records/trails that are kept in a similar manner as ballots. They are to be the official record of the election and are to be used in case of manual recounts. As an example of how hard this would be, let’s look at Diebold’s VVPAT. A long register receipt type “paper trail” is printed. Granted it is better than what does not come from their DRE’s now but it would be very difficult to “hand” count. So why spend money on it, if it does not really do what we want it to do? It is similar but not the same as a ballot. Imagine a 75 year old trying to read the small type on that paper trail. Some, such as our first group of people would argue that an electronic version of the ballot is ok and perfectly acceptable. David Dill explains that voting on DRE’s is like handing your ballot to a man behind a curtain, telling him how you want to vote, he fills in your choices and you never see the ballot again. This is UNACCEPTABLE! Our ballot must be human readable we must be able to discern our own choices and not leave it to a machine interface. Now this is not always possible as in the case of the blind but there are technologies that help the blind to vote in secret that produce a ballot. Equipment such as Automark produces an optical scan or human readable ballot. The ballot is printed on a heavy weight 8 1/2 x 11 sheet of paper with standard markings. Any human or optical scan machine can read these ballots and they are ideal for hand counts should the need arise.

Now there are many people that say we should be all hand counted paper all the time. In an ideal world we would do that. But realistically that is not going to happen. Elections offices in most jurisdictions if not all, are under funded. Elections officials struggle with tight budgets and in most cases do a damned good job with what they have. Not all elections officials are bad and many want to run good clean elections. Keeping the system honest is up to us. With proper auditing and truly random recounts optical scans are the safest and most accurate way to count an election. The trouble starts when the votes are sent via electronic means to a central tabulator. I would also add that the tabulator needs to be as secure as Ft. Knox because after all our votes are more precious than gold.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4091026&mesg_id=4091026

[merh]

71. One of Andy's speeches

By Andy Stephenson:
In order for me to vote, I must have faith. Faith in the system, faith in the process, and it's faith that makes me believe that it matters that I participate at all.

And anywhere along the way, if society, our government, elected officials, or individuals damage that faith, or cause me to question that faith, it doesn't just hurt me, it hurts the system itself, it attacks our beliefs and undermines our Democracy.

Democracy can't be bought with guns or bombs. Democracy is born as an idea and grows in the hearts and minds of those who believe in it, those who have faith in the system.

Why is the American Dollar stronger than the Peso? ... at least the
last time I checked...

Faith

Take away my ballot, my real life paper ballot, and you've undermined my faith at the most basic level. The tactile level, the level at which I can touch and feel the reality of my vote.

I'm not a Luddite, and I'm not against machines counting paper. But I
wouldn't trust a bank without deposit slips, or an ATM without a receipt.

I don't have faith in Corporations, weathermen, or politicians. And I shouldn't have to trust any of them to count my vote.

Referring to arms control treaties with the Soviet Union, Reagan once
said, "Trust but verify ". But I say, provide me a way to verify and
then I can start to trust.

And don't tell me that YOU trust the system. There's got to be a way
for me to trust the system. I need to be able to understand the process and verify the results in order to gain faith in the process.
This is a new bill of goods those who would take away my paper ballot are trying to sell. They want me to believe in mathematics, a
cryptography solution, VoteHere is one such company pushing this
solution. Some fancy math, and a receipt that I can punch into the
Internet that shows me that I voted. But no one seems able to explain to me how this works.

Fancy mathematics and fancy words loose my attention. While I might not be able to calculate the weight of the sun, I should be able to understand how we count votes. If we are going to have a Democratic society, it must allow me, and YOU, and any average citizen to be bad at math, but still be able to convince me that the system is valid.
The average member of society isn't going to understand a fancy system of cryptography, just as most of us realized long ago that fancy math hasn't helped us predict the weather. A 60% chance of a valid election doesn't sound very good to me. I just don't have faith in fancy math.

I especially don't have faith in fancy "proprietary "math. Another
word for proprietary is secret. So when someone tells me they have
some fancy mathematics, a cryptography solution, that makes my paper ballot unnecessary, once again, I'm not really that interested.
Because I don't have much faith in mathematics that I don't understand. And if you have to resort to explaining the system with
metaphor and simile, or if you need several experts to explain it to
me, you've lost me. And I'll have no faith in the system you build.

These machines, these blackbox voting machines. Already in place in
Snohomish and Yakima. They require me to trust without verification.
Trust the election officials, trust the government, trust the companies, trust the programmers, trust the mathematicians. But
frankly none of these people ever had my trust to begin with.

The media, the voting officials, the voting machine companies, even
the Supreme Court, is arguing that speed is of the essence, and obviously these machines are far speedier without paper ballots clogging up the process. But I don't care so much about speed, I'm more interested in accuracy. The battle isn't for speed. My faith isn't challenged by slow and steady bookkeeping with proper auditing.
It's challenged by secrets and lies. And once you've lost it, faith is a hard thing to regain.

These companies, and our election officials have lied to us, are lying
to us, and will continue to lie to us, they've committed fraud, and it
IS a conspiracy. It's a conspiracy to get rid of paper ballots, and I
for one am losing my faith in the system.

Don't be fooled though, it's not just about the paper. The devil is in
the details, and the details are in the words used. It's a verbal shell game, where "paper trail "and "paper receipt "are used to confuse you.

The words paper and ballot should not be separated. The go together
hand in hand, and to separate them undermines the strength they have when unified. Paper is tangible, traceable, hard to destroy.
Electrons, on the other hand are small, we can't see them, most of us
would have a hard time really explaining what they are. When I loose a $20 bill, I notice it's gone. When I lose an electron, I don't really notice.... unless my computer crashes, or I can't find a term paper, or my music skips. Scratch a piece of paper, I can still read what you wrote, scratch my new CD, it's worthless.

Paper trail, paper receipt, what do these terms mean? To me it means someone's trying to put one over on me. Cause when it comes to voting I know what a ballot is. It's been defined by law over hundreds of years. When I go to the grocery story I get a receipt, when I sell a house I sign a contract, and when I vote I get a ballot. Similes mean similar, they don't mean the "same ", and people who know the difference use the wrong words on purpose. They want some wiggle room... they want to change the system, they want to redefine the terms, get rid of the paper, turn the ballot into electrons, and give you a receipt, or a paper trail. Trick you into having faith in the system. So let's be clear here, and let's not mince words, a receipt is something that I get when I buy a banana, a ballot is something with which I vote. I'm not fooled by the verbal shell game. My eyesare still on the ball, and I'm not letting go of my paper ballot any time soon. Too adopt the words of the NRA you'll have to pry my paper ballot from my cold dead hands.

Words have meaning, and meaning builds faith. Faith is built on a
foundation of trust. Take away my trust, and you've undermined the
foundation. Bastardize the meanings built on that foundation and you
weaken the structure that holds up even weaker words. And just as
assuredly as a house starts to crumble as the foundation is eroded,
and the walls start to fall, democracy is being undermined as the
meaning is corrupted and the foundation is slowly torn from underneath. Take away my paper ballot, and you strip away the keystone on which I build my faith in the system.

So all this talk about faith, and really so far, very little about the
actuality of how a paper ballot works to increase my trust in the
system. You may ask me how a system of paper, in which ballot boxes turn up in Lake Michigan, or are lost in the back of the rooms of King County, inspires my faith.

The key is, that they do turn up later. One might be able to steal a
few hundred votes, a few ballot boxes might disappear, but their very
physicality makes those ballots hard to destroy. But click a button,
and send a few electrons off into the "ether ", who knows if it ever
gets where it's going, there's no physicality, and if it's lost, where
will we find it. My term paper that I lost in college is still lost, it never turned up in the back of the lecture hall, or under the bed in my dorm room. Electronic votes that are lost will never be found in the back room, and no ballots will ever turn up in the river, or in the trunk of someone 's car. Just because the machine recount tells me
the same number when I ask, doesn't mean it's more accurate. Data can be precise and simultaneously inaccurate.

Paper ballots are not a panacea, they won't fix the system. No, they
are simply the foundation on which the system is built. There are many layers above the foundation on which the house of democracy is built, and there are many checks and balances that must be in place to assure that our votes are counted accurately. Random audits, checking the paper against the machine counts, correlating the number of votes with registered voters, all good and necessary ways to double check the accuracy of the process. And any system is going to have a certain calculable margin of error, and if any of us are going to be honest about what just happened in Washington State, the margin of victory fell well inside that margin of error, regardless of the recount, neither side can statistically claim victory, so the only victory left is a legal victory. There is obviously more than one way to lose faith in a system of belief.

But without a solid foundation there's nothing for me to build my
faith upon.

Voting in this country use to be a public process. We voted in public,
the vote was counted in public, by the public. We trusted in the
system, because we the people were the system. And every battle we the people fought was to increase that trust, either to increase the
number and types of people that voted, or to increase the validity of
the system by reducing the influence of others on our personal choices. But now we vote in secret, using a secret ballot, on machines
with secret code. I think something has been lost here, don't you?

~Andy Stephenson

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=104&topic_id=4091026&mesg_id=4092551
Recording
http://www.radio4all.net/pub/files/[e-mail]/440-1-20050512-gathering_to_Save_Our_Democracy_day_2_opening_panel_pt.mp3

[fooj]

73. "Words have meaning and meaning builds faith."

How true.

Peace.

[lateo]

72. You don't need to apologize Will.

But it is very big of you to do so...you are a class act.

[cyberpj]

75. Bless you. You are forgiven but now I realize --no apology necessary.

I just read sfexpat's post about what actually happened and my response was this:
=========================================
I don't think there are words to adequately describe my feelings.

I only knew Andy via DU but was well aware of his energy, work, and will regarding Election Fraud and Voter Verified Paper Ballots.

As a cancer survivor, I was happy to contribute funds and prayers for his surgery and never doubted the effort for even a millisecond.

However, while aware of the problems and some of the details I had no idea whatsoever about the depth of pure evil to which these antagonists sank in order to create problems.

When I first read Will Pitt's post of rage I questioned it's usefulness. Now I'm ready to assist him in any way I can.

Many blessings are yours for your good works. Please let us know if there's anything else we can do to help.

PEACE
-PJ

[cyberpj]

76. And Will-Don't miss post #44 - Beautiful. And I bet you'll hear Andy laugh

Posters of that would be a great idea.

[NightNurse]

77. Great Men are Men of Deeds

Andy was oneO8)
Will is another:evilgrin:

[nmliberal]

78. I know he helped me help NM demand VVPB

I read all of Andy's information on the need for voter verified paper ballots and I collected some information & thought I could just mail it to him. He replied to me what I needed to do next. What? I thought, I need to do the work? Well, I did, of course. And met other New Mexicans who joined the fight to change NM laws.

I am so sorry for our loss.