Stop and think: Was it worth it?

[katinmn]

Victoria Parks of Columbus, Ohio, left, weeps upon hearing about the Democratic challenge of Ohio's 20 electoral votes during the Defend Democracy Rally and Vigil in Washington, Thursday, Jan. 6, 2005. President Bush's re-election triumph over Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass., was not in jeopardy, but Democrats turned Congress' quadrennial counting of electoral votes into a battle over Election Day problems in Ohio, forcing the House and Senate to consider a challenge to the presidential count for only the second time since 1877. (AP Photo/Kevin Wolf)

[Jo March]

1. Yes. Yes it was worth it. nt

[atxryan]

2. It was worth it.

and I'm glad I fought for it...

[katinmn]

5. Hurray for the bleeding heart liberals! ;-)

[davidgmills]

3. What the note doesn't say

Was that the only other challenge since 1877 was only technical when an elector for Nixon was "unfaithful" and voted for George Wallace instead.

Nothing like what happened today.

[Pam-Moby]

4. Yes, I feel it was worth it-But now where do go from here? n/t

[katinmn]

7. January 20 - un-innaugural

Keep the attention on election reform
Fight for media reform
Stand up for peace
Stay involved

[Pam-Moby]

55. Thanks that sounds like a good plan n/t

[crispini]

6. YES.

And if I were there I'd have cried too.

[katinmn]

10. I cried seeing this photo. I bet she put her life on hold

to fight for this.

Going into today, we just weren't sure what would happen.

[eowyn_of_rohan]

16. Wish I could hug her

I probably looked like that myself. I know i felt like it. but that crying part is over for the time being. It's time for a soothing beverage or 2. And for making plans to go to the DEATH OF DEMOCRACY Protest in New Orleans on inauguration day. There will be a jazz funeral.

[katinmn]

26. An historic day filled with emotion. I heard about your jazz funeral

That's going to be powerful!

We're having a 1/20 event here, too.

Counter-Inaugural Demonstration
"No mandate for war"
Downtown Minneapolis at 4:30 p.m.

Sponsored by four groups: Anti-war committee, Twin Cities Peace Campaign/Focus on Iraq, Veterans for Peace and Women Against Military Madness

Yet another way to say no mandate for *.

[calimary]

54. There's a protest at the Federal Building in West L.A. on that nauseating

day. I will be there.

And YES. It WAS worth it. It puts into the record books that BOTH bush's "victories" can be regarded as questionable. Which they ARE. I'm proud of Barbara Boxer! Proud to be her constituent. She's actually listening to folks like me, and doing our bidding. Four years late, she is, but at least she finally stood up.

I didn't cry. But I DID get out my Boxer for Senate button, and pinned it back on my coat lapel.

[WilliamPitt]

8. Yes

[seito]

9. Absolutely

[theboss]

11. Whoa...is she okay?

I mean...whoa.

[NickiWitch]

12. DAMN SKIPPY!!!

It was so friggin' worth it! I'm here for the long fight!

Peace!!

[katinmn]

13. that's the spirit!

:dem:

[shraby]

17. Her picture should be on the front

of every newspaper in the country. It might remind people of where we're at.

[LittleClarkie]

50. Yes! The long haul!

Don't stop NOW!!

[NickiWitch]

63. I won't...

I hope you won't either!!!

Peace!!!!!!

[understandinglife]

14. Yes, AND ITS JUST BEGUN. Please read Will's interview with Conyers!!

http://www.truthout.org/docs_05/010705W.shtml

& consider comment # 29, here:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=203&topic_id=255567&mesg_id=257125&page=

We've got an amazing team and we're just getting started and look what was accomplished today. The investigation continues; the report, yesterday, was "STATUS" not "FINAL."

We will in_DEED prevail as long as we never relent.

[Child_Of_Isis]

22. I'm confused.

This part confuses me: Senator Boxer, in her press conference with Rep. Tubbs-Jones today, said that she regretted not having stood up in 2000. What do you think about that?

I'm sure that a lot of people have done some reconsideration of their silence from four years ago. It was totally uncalled for, but it was asked for by the then-candidate, Al Gore, and they went along.


Nobody was with Boxer today. :shrug:

[understandinglife]

28. Senator Boxer told Ed Schultz today that what mattered to...

...get the process moving was for 1 Senator to challenge. She did not express any regret regarding the vote.

And, I think the reason why she was not upset and why only 1 Senator voted 'yes' is precisely because of what Congressman Conyers said to Will Pitt, quoted above.

The investigation is ongoing; the report, yesterday, was 'status.'

National Election 2004 is on the front burner and today Senator Boxer, Congressman Conyers and Tubbs-Jones and colleagues elevated the temperature, considerably.

We have much to do and we now know what we can achieve.

Peace.

[Zookeeper]

34. Yes, but....

we clearly need to give the MSM a kick in the butt, since their coverage so far has ranged from NONE to smarmy little comments about us being a radical fringe and an embarrassment to most of the Dems.

I really believe the MSM is our biggest obstacle now. It doesn't matter how much dirt is uncovered if they won't report it.

[understandinglife]

42. I remember how little coverage a certain burglary received...

....and those dang "internets" didn't exist back in 1972.

We're just getting started and history was made today. Let's focus, gather even more experts, dig even deeper, keep elevating the temperature in the kitchen....they'll report it. But, now, as opposed to 1972, we will deliver the news, ever more effectively, ourselves.

Thank you for your comments; let's be unrelenting in saving our franchise.

[merh]

59. Don't you realize, we did this without the MSM , despite the media

blackout, despite the fact that they intentionally ignored and ridiculed (and continue to ridicule) us. We, the people -- the people did this, our voices were heard, congress paid attention to us! We have been heard and we will continue to be heard. They didn't ignore us and they can't ignore us now.

Yes, it would be nice if the MSM (I prefer corporate media whores "CMW") would get with the program, would do their job. If we can awaken them, imagine our roar and our power.

But do not dismiss the awesomeness of today and all that lead up to today. WE WERE HEARD, THEY DID NOT IGNORE US, THEY COULD NOT IGNORE US! We have found our voices and we are loud, very loud.

[Zookeeper]

64. I'm not at all dismissing the awesomeness....

of what happened on Thursday. I was thrilled. I made my kids sit down and watch the whole replay on C-Span.

But, I'm very, very frustrated and unhappy with the disregard shown by the MSM. I talked with people yesterday, who had no clue as to what was going on and frankly, if I hadn't told them about it, they easily could have never found out about it.

MSNBC made fun of it when they reported it. CBS/NBC/ABC largely ignored it. PBS ignored it. The story was on page 4 of my supposedly "Liberal" local newspaper today. Apparently, the news that we don't have snow and that auditions for a new TV show were more important.

We can sit here and feel swell about it, but to effect change, we NEED to have the general public know about this outrage. And plenty of people who really would be outraged, won't believe it until they see it on their TeeVees.

[merh]

65. Share the press with have with your friends & family, get them mad

at the MSM (corporate media whores). This is one article, MSNBC had a great piece today, I will see if I can find it.



http://www.bet.com/News/tlscott_voterrally.htm?wbc_purpose=Basic&WBCMODE=PresentationUnpublished&Referrer=%7B03CE5360-2620-42CB-AD7E-77E4249C5FB7%7D


This is is good!
http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6799311/site/newsweek

[katinmn]

70. precisely, merh! n/t

[Zookeeper]

81. I frequently bring up our issues with salespeople,

cashiers, our doctors and dentist, waiters...I'm not exactly shy. My friends and family have been a little overwhelmed by the volume of great articles I pass along, like the links you posted above (thank you!). I do "dropaganda," leaving photocopied articles in waiting rooms, tucked into magazines and books on store shelves, etc. However, I end up sensing that it's not really real to anyone until they see it reported on some "Nightly News" program.

I certainly didn't mean for my original post to sound as pessimistic as it apparently did to some. I'm nothing if not stubborn, and will fight to the bitter end for what is right. We need to keep working on election reform, but we also need to raise hell with these so-called "News" organizations that are to cheap to spend money to investigate anything, too cowardly to upset BushCo and their corporate advertisers and too eager to keep viewers pacified with human interest stories and the Kobe/Lacy/O.J./Fundie-Mom-Who-Kills-Her-Kids story du jour.

OR...we can all put up a lot of money to start our own network.

Remember that Greg Palast had documented the fraud of the 2000 election in Florida for The Guardian newspaper in London by, I think, sometime in 2001 and it wasn't reported in the U.S. MSM until the NY Times did a short article in 2004. I can't tell you how many times I brought up the Florida felon lists to family and friends and they looked at me like I was nuts. Your average American just doesn't believe that things like that can happen without them hearing about it from TV or the front page of their newpaper.

[katinmn]

69. I agree 100 percent

I went out on a limb and emailed family and friends with video, fact sheets, and articles several times since before the holidays through Wednesday evening.

One of the messages said: "Do you know what is happening January 6?"
I KNEW they had no clue. I also know that I may sound extremist and like a flaket conspirator. Most people do not know what we know.

We need to keep learning from and educating each other, but we also have to expand our network. Once the lightbulb goes off, they will join the good fight!

Where would we be without the Internet media and DU?

[Blissfulbride]

78. We got plenty of media attention

This link is a collection of media stories generated by yesterday's activities. This is some of what we were after. There are 983 stories as of 7am 1/7/05. Let's hope we can keep this going along with a genuine investigation of voting irregularities, at least by the press if not the authorities.

http://news.google.com/?hl=en&ncl=http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2005/01/07/ballot_box_basics
 

[Zookeeper]

82. I'm glad to see there were that many...

although, of course, I'd like to see more and from a wider range of sources.

Just to compare, I checked out a few other stories:

Airline fare wars: 1,250
Andrea Yates (Fundie mom who murdered her kids): 1,470
about golfer Vijay Singh: 757
Gonzales hearing: 2,220
Tsunami: 135,000

I do thank you for the link, though. And it is definitely a start!

[marcologico]

15. great pic!

yes!

[juajen]

18. Indeed, it was well worth it.

I am thrilled with today, getting set for what comes next, as we all need to be. We also have to watch our brave reps and senator's backs.

[Orsino]

19. Not worth it yet, but...

...our good work could make it so.

[BrklynLiberal]

20. Her heart is broken..and I can understand why...

[LittleClarkie]

49. But at that moment, she was crying because of what was happening

the contesting.

I cried too. At that precise moment when they announced we had a Senator who was standing up, I cried.

[katinmn]

52. tears of relief and joy

[FreepFryer]

21. Honest tears shed are NEVER a waste. Of course it was.

[Old and In the Way]

23. I think so.

I'm happy the Democrats didn't rubber stamp the process today. Now, I hope they really refuse to play ball until we get legislation enacted that addresses our concerns about an electoral process that has consistant procedures/systems ans an auditable paper trails for national electoral office.

[corbett]

24. I Know People Like Her

During the campaign, I met literally dozens of people who put their lives on hold and traveled to other states to help defeat the shrub. They are the real America.

Kudos for posting this AWESOME pic!

[madbelgiancow]

25. I don't feel like eating crow just yet, so YES it was

let the battle begin.

A small pebble can stop a big wheel from turning.

[BigBearJohn]

27. GOD DAMN RIGHT IT WAS!!!

[mzmolly]

29. Darn rignt!

:hi:

[KnowerOfLogic]

30. Worth what? There was no cost, since nobody even noticed the challenge.

[BigBearJohn]

32. *I* noticed it!!

[Stand and Fight]

31. Hell yes!

It was well worth it, and the fight is not over yet! There's a lot of work to be done in the area of electoral reform, and I'm sure many here would agree that we need to keep on fighting. Can I get an "Amen" brothers and sisters?!?

[brindis_desala]

36. Amen brother! Boxer came through! Now its our turn

[katinmn]

43. Amen! n/t

[calimary]

58. Amen, Amen, Amen!

Let's roll.

[greenmutha]

33. YES! Would we have seen a protest picture like this in anything mainstream

before today?

I think NOT!

The "awakening" has just begun.

[katinmn]

44. you're right..... today was a turning point.

There has been nothing as sympathetic as this (with an equally sympathetic or at least neutral cutline) before today in MSM.

[O.M.B.inOhio]

35. Worth it to give Congress a chance to be advocates for truth

[Mandate My Ass]

37. Yes! Indisputably yes.

Sometimes you have to make a stand even knowing that victory is not possible. This was a battle, an important one, but not the whole war.

[Sir Jeffrey]

38. Standing up for what is right is always worth it n/t

[floridadem30]

39. Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[frictionlessO]

40. for those tears!! you bet your sweet ass it was!!

How many here empathize with that women?!!

[calimary]

57. While I was dry-eyed, I sympathize LIKE CRAZY with that woman.

Bless her heart! May she continue to find more comfort from more courageous moves among at least a few of our reps. Maybe more of them will start rediscovering their backbones - and that it'll hold for longer than it did when Dr. Dean was giving out spinal transplants awhile ago. I want to hug her and tell her that this is the shot fired across the bow. This is just the beginning. I also called the good Doctor Vivisectionist bill frist to tell him that Barbara Boxer is a Great American and HE better get over it.

I felt GREAT today. Better than I've felt since late evening on November 2nd when I realized that USS Kerry was taking on water. Yes, I know that, on the surface, it may make no difference. Unlike what many of the high-and-mighty types orating on the Hill today, it WAS INDEED a challenge to bush's "victory." At least for me. After all, HOW DO WE KNOW that he really did get three million more votes? Seems to me there was enough of a fishy smell, in MORE than enough places (and not JUST in Ohio, mind you) to compromise the whole sordid result.

God, I feel for this woman. All that heartbreak and emotion pent up. I'm glad Barbara Boxer gave her some release, bless her heart. This photo proves to someone like me that I'm not alone. SOMEBODY heard her. Barbara Boxer evidently heard the calls and saw the emails and the letters of thousands and thousands of Californians, and undoubtedly MANY others all over the country. Finally. Hopefully she's but the first of more who've heard, and decided FINALLY to get off their cowardly duffs about it. And MORE somebodies better damned well be moved by her, from here on. I've read that Boxer has now said she regrets not doing anything after Selection 2000. DAMN STRAIGHT, Barbara. Glad you FINALLY got the message, AND found the courage. SO MANY people are hurting because of these horrible bush beasts. SO MANY. SO MANY tears have been shed, and for SO MANY reasons, beyond just what this dear lady is shedding. Not to quote a cliche, but MAN do I feel her pain. Every time I look at my kids and wonder what-the-fuck kind of "democracy" and what kind of America we're handing them. I feel like she looks in that photo, even if I remain dry-eyed. I will carry this image in my heart with EVERY further step I take, email or letter I write, phone call I make, petition I sign, protest or rally I join, or sign I hold up.

I also remain ready and willing to keep the Resistance ALIVE. AND KICKING. In fact, it got quite a shot of adrenaline, today, all told.

[frictionlessO]

60. Hey I feel for you!! Your emotions are shown truly in your words!

I will fight with this image in my mind for a long long time!

That woman had hope come upon her like any ol' holy spirit you wanna call out whether you cried when it touched you or just felt really good for a minute... that holy spirit was the hand of history touching our souls, all together.

[genieroze]

41. Yes it was, and the Republicans should hide their heads in shame

They kept on saying how there was election irregularities in other states, blue states. Yet they didn't contest that, why? If there was fraud they should say something, by not doing so they showed that they don't give a darn about voters rights. They only care about winning at any cost even if their own supporters are hurt. They were so transparent, it was nauseating.

[Raksha]

45. I just saved that picture...

Under the title Grieving for Democracy (Jan6)

[Raksha]

47. Another thing, though:

How would we all feel right now if today had been a repeat of 2000, and not ONE Senator had stood up? That's exactly what some people were predicting here as recently as last night. If that had happened, I would have seriously thought about leaving the Democratic party--something I don't say lightly since I'm a third-generation Democrat.

[Lostnote03]

46. Hmmmmmm???........Now how about the lawsuits???........Congragulations All

....although the scope of the speeches addressed the generalized preview to the country regarding the over reaching partisan issues relevent to both sides, I was hoping Other states would have been brought into play by reference points exampling those states problematic as well....all in all the GOP was served notice that their extreme recklessness is about to be challenged ......I wish some one had asked if Ken Lay was doing the counting???

[Generator]

48. Yes-to not be alone is the most precious thing

First they ignore you, then the laugh at you, then they fight you, and then you win. We are between stage two and three.

Today has to be the beginning-or many of us are not supporting the old Democratic base anymore.

We've cried enough.

And we are not the losers or the whiners.

We are the people that love our country because it's supposed to be so much better than the nightmare that has been the last four years.

When I first came on to DU-it was because I was looking into 9/11 after having being lied to and duped into believing the Iraq War was the right thing.

And all the things I read of all the dirty things BushCo has done or tries to do-and all I could think is, this is not America.

This is not America. Not the one in my heart.

[katinmn]

51. I look at today as a beginning, too, for progressives

We met a very hard won goal of getting one senator to stand up.

We got in their face, disturbed their business, and made them focus for two hours on democracy.

We can do a lot!

[GetTheRightVote]

53. I marched side by side with her up to the park, she wanted justice today

complete justice not a shadow of it, we can claim a win with Senator Barbara Boxer and various Reps in the House stepping up but what of the other cowards who backed down, the greater majority. But I will not hide away from the facts either, the Congress step up to put Democracy to work but failed it and us in the process except for a few brave souls who we should be indebted to for the remainder of their lives. If Democracy ever has a chance to gain a foothold in this nation again it will do so because of these strong individuals not the weak knee Republican bowing individuals that rule this country at this point in time.

Today was the death of Democracy, not the birth of reform:

They have been trying that for years now and still do not have it right to the point that another election was stolen from us. I will never ever vote for a Democrat with an exception for Sen. Barbara Boxer and the Reps. in the house who stood up for us today. As a reward to David Cobb, I will be signing up for the Green Party. I am sick of the Repubs and their other party the Democrats. I never thought in my life I would think so little of them but I do now.

They do not represent us, they represent the other Republican party, you had better start calling them the baby elephants. What are we, are we battered wifes who are going to keep going back for more beatings from our Democratic Party husbands. I loved this party because I thought they were something that they are not, get over it people, they do not care about us anymore then the Republicans, FDR is died as far as these people are concerned.

The Democrats are pussy whipped by the Republicans, are their actions today not enough for you. I for one am not going back to be their whipping post anymore, I will leave that up to the rest of you who like to get beat up and ignored like the abused children of supposabily loving parents. I wish you luck in your destructive path holding to a dream that was given its death shot today.

[Bill of Rights]

56. We need to keep on message

We must continue. We must not relent.

I, personally, had a breather tonight, and watched some mindless television, but with the Republicans controlling everything ...

WE MUST CONTINUE.

We had a victory today.

[bearfan454]

61. Yes n/t

[KaliTracy]

62. Absolutely.

Democracy is at stake here -- and we've opened the doors that they wanted to keep shut. When we talk to people who think we are crazy for even supporting such a thing -- we all need to have one or two points that will drive home the issue, politely and with firm resolve.

Have yours yet?

[Kota]

66. It sure was!

[pixelthief]

67. absolutely! n/t

[Yellow Horse]

68. Worth it? HELL YES !! nt

[katinmn]

71. yeah, I'd do it again :-)

:kick:

[txindy]

72. Without a doubt

The ongoing investigations will be worth it, too. Every effort is worth it.

[elizm]

73. What if we had NOT done it?

That answers the question of whether it was worth it. We couldn't NOT do it...regardless of what the outcome would be.

[Patsy Stone]

74. Absolutely. I cried too.

I was at my office and I was sobbing like a baby. It was beautiful.
:)

[katinmn]

75. we're not alone and we're motivated and we're fighting

It's really quite lovely.
:)

[Patsy Stone]

76. NGU!

I gotta go start a KO thread now. ;)

[cry baby]

77. There are many her at DU who have worked tirelessly...

My hope is that they think it was worth it. I emailed, called, cussed, and paced the floor. I didn't do much but I believe we took a step onto the right path. Thanks to those here who dedicated their hours, days, and weeks to make this happen. Our arguement was heard on the floor both houses of congress and is a matter of record for history!!!!!!! Wow!

[SharonRB]

79. Absof*ckinglutely!

I wonder if Victoria Parks is a DUer.

We have a lot of work to do in the coming months and years, but this was certainly an auspicious beginning.

[Darknyte7]

80. You're kidding, right?

This might be a good time to read or re-read James Wolcott's blog piece from back in September, entitled Squeamers.

I was blabbing on the phone last week with Maura Moynihan, the two of us complaining about all the worrywart liberals we know who are in a constant state of anxious funk. She imitated the typical worrywart--"I just know Karl Rove is going to pull something in October and Bush is gonna win and I'm afraid even to get my hopes up because we're gonna lose we always manage to lose"--and I joined in until we sounded like Bob and Betty Whiner dragging luggage through the airport.



http://jameswolcott.com/archives/2004/09/squeamers.php

[Democrat Dragon]

83. Is shouldn't be "was"

but rather "is" were not finished! if we were we would have stopped weeks ago knowing about the Nazi majority in both houses.

[candice]

84. Yes, it shows people that their votes might count ... if

the repugs will let there be a paper audit. Repugs showed themselves to be against mother, apple pie, and fair voting.

The more people who know about the fact that Blackwell was co-chair of the Bush election campaign while dictating who could vote, how they voted, and whether their vote was counted, the better. There is a sense of fairness among the American people. You would think that Rove wouldn't have allowed this obvious trangression of public trust just because it looks so bad. Unbelievable.