MY letter to my Congressman -- PLEASE do the same.

[Woo]

I know there are many of these floating around -- I just want to remind people not only to send to your elected officials but to copy your local media too. Especially for House Representatives, they don't like bad press, especially when their little happy 'safe zone' district is threatened that was given to them for life, either by in my case, inherited from their father of the same name, at age 26, OR Republican redistricting.


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Dear Representative Ford:

I am writing today to express my frustration and dissatisfaction with your stance(or lack of one) on one of the more important things facing the African American and Progressive communities here in Memphis and around our country. Moreover, one of the more terrifying threats to our democracy. The systematic disenfranchisement of minority and democratic voters.

What IS your position on this Representative Ford?
I know, you're against it.

Well it seems to me that if you were concerned you would have shown up and voted with your fellow colleagues on January 6th when the electors were certified. You would have shown up to protest the certification of the Ohio electors along side Rep. Stephanie Tubbs-Jones and Senator Barbara Boxer, you would have participated in the hearings held by Representative Conyers in Washington and Ohio. You would have shown the most fleeting of interest in the issue, but you have done nothing.

Did you even show up Representative Ford?
I'm doubtful, I didn't see you. I KNOW you didn't vote on January 6th. Although you found the time on January 5th(per your website 'recent news' feed) to stand beside Majority Whip Roy Blunt.

Majority Whip Roy Blunt, a man who called the suppression of vote in predominantly minority communities, numerous 'irregularities,' which number in the thousands and all but a few coincidentally ALWAYS favoured George Bush, and unexplainable discrepancies in exit polls and actual reported results, 'frivilous.' Frivilous? But you made the time to make a press release on an issue(Tsunami) that is being trumpeted all around the world and on every news station. But you say nothing about an issue that couldn't buy a headline, an issue that is so important to the stability of our country here and abroad that the gravity of it can not be summed up in words.

No I am NOT a happy Constituent Representative Ford. I have been hearing whisperings as to how you are representing us in Washington and now I will be sure to follow how you vote(or don't vote) on issues that effect all of us and I WILL hold you accountable. I promise you that if you continue to fail at exposing and challenging policies and issues that negatively effect your constituents I will make it my personal mission to inform your constituents of your actions.

I am 29 years old, younger than you and I am of your generation. I am not jaded by the belief of 'nothing can be done,' and I don't believe in chess games in politics, especially when the issue strikes at the very core of the most basic of civil liberties afforded to us, the right to vote. I assure you that this will not go away or be dismissed with an email. I am acutely aware that change begins with one person. So I promise you, that if we do not begin to see a change in how this community is represented, you will begin to find it more difficult to gain a 'pass' in this town due to a familiar name, trust and respect are earned, not inherited.

Lastly, I would like to say that I did vote for you this November 2nd and as of yet you have not lost my vote. I will say that I went into the voting booth on November 2nd, made my choices and pushed a big red button labeled 'VOTE.' The machine clicked, the lights went out and I walked out and said, 'I think I just voted, but where did my vote go?' It disappeared into the ether, I have no proof of whether my vote counted or not, what do you have to say about that Representative Ford?

A bank can count money accurately, why can't we count a vote? This needs to change NOW, not two years from now, not four years from now, but NOW!

I am copying this email to several local media outlets and progressive message forums, and I encourage them to reprint or report my letter or send one of their own to their Senators and Congress men and women around the country. We(your constituents) anxiously await your response.

[ohioliberal]

1. Excellent letter...

I think I will copy some of it and send to my Repuke Congressmen.