Politics
Entries related to things political.
Opening of Congress in Second Life
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Thu, 01/04/2007 - 13:23
I'm sitting in Second Life taking pictures and videos of the opening of congress as it is viewed from Second Life.
Upcoming Events in Second Life
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Wed, 01/03/2007 - 13:46More and more, I’m getting invited to events in Second Life, and I thought I would highlight a few of them here. This afternoon, at 5 PM Eastern, Social Signal is opening their practice in Second Life at the TechSoup Space on Info Island. Friends have spoken highly to me about Social Signal, and so while the event sounds a little like the opening of a consulting firm, it seems like it is work checking out.
Then, tomorrow, at noon eastern time, Second Life Capital Hill will usher in the 110th congress. I hope to attend and perhaps blog and/or videoblog some of the event.
Later in the day, RootsCampSL will have their weekly meeting in SecondLife. I look forward to seeing several old friends there and talking about what progressives can do in SecondLife.
JFK in Running Shoes, My New Hampshire Summary
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Sat, 12/30/2006 - 10:21(Originally posted at John Edwards' Blog)
I hope everyone has looked at various reports from New Hampshire.
mbair’s, nsharma’s, and stevegarfield’s here.
chuckles’ post on DailyKos. My photos.
Yet what is really important to me is the discussions in the local blogs. Jsinclair wrote about the event at BlueMassGroup. Over at MyLeftNutmeg, Tessa wrote this entry about the event. Susan H writes about the event at BelowBoston and links to the great analysis and discussion at BlueHampshire.
These last three posts have great discussions going on about how the real message is about all of us taking action. This was the core of what I was hearing from Sen. Edwards in New Hampshire, as well as on a conference call beforehand. As I commented over in one of the other threads:
The real story is that Sen. Edwards' message is, "Ask not what your country can do for you, and don't stop at asking what you can do for your country. Just Do It!" Sort of like JFK in running shoes.
The war on Christmas
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Tue, 12/26/2006 - 10:25(Cross posted to One America Committee Blog)
Yes, Virginia, there is a war on Christmas. I’ve been there and seen it. It isn’t pretty. But before I tell you about it, let me say a word to my brothers and sisters that seek to be in touch with a greater power through their Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or other traditions, the war is against your faiths as well.
As I went to the shopping center a few days before Christmas, a large SUV gunned it, racing for a parking spot. Apparently they needed to be sure that they would get the shiny trinket before I did. I imagine they were listening to a conservative talk radio host bewailing shopkeepers that didn’t wish their customers ‘Merry Christmas’. They should be complaining about shopkeepers that don’t pay a livable wage or don’t provide healthcare to their employees.
Whether or not people wish us ‘Merry Christmas’ is a distraction from the meaning of Christmas. Instead of focusing name games, we need to focus on helping the people around us and helping bringing peace to our world.
Kim gets this. For Christmas this year, she went to Our Voices Together and donated to Seeds of Peace as her present to me.
Our Voices Together “is a nonprofit organization founded by people who have lost family members or friends to terrorist acts.” Their board includes the Chair of Islamic Studies at American University serving along side an Episcopal Priest.
Seeds of Peace “is dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence.” We need to be promoting reconciliation and coexistence instead of dividing people based on who says what at the shopping malls.
The war on Christmas doesn’t end on Christmas day. We still need to be working for peace and economic justice every day of the year. So, whether we are donating to international peace organizations or food to local food banks, whether we are helping rebuild the lower ninth ward, or working on electing leaders that will bring about change through their example and through changing policies in Washington, we need to focus on how we help people around us and not simply on word games about how a shopkeeper greets us at the store.
Merry Christmas everyone.
Transformational Candidates
Submitted by Aldon Hynes on Sun, 12/24/2006 - 20:27(The following is a comment I made on a thread at MyDD about whether Edwards should run, which got into a great discussion about transformational politics.)
I think Trippi is hitting the nail on the head. We need a transformational leader. I supported Gov. Dean in 2004, not because he was a transformational leader. When I started paying attention to the 2004 race, I wasn't thinking in those terms.
Nonetheless, I found myself transformed by Gov. Dean and his campaign. Many of us were changed by the campaign and we are all better off because of it.
Who will be the transformational candidate in 2008? I like what Sen. Edwards is saying and doing about poverty. I hope it transforms people and gets them to contribute to local food banks, to help rebuild our houses the way Sen. Edwards has in New Orleans or the way President Carter has done with Habitat for Humanity. As well as bring about meaningful change in Washington on issues related to poverty.
As I've written elsewhere, I hope it spawns a new generation of Freedom Riders; perhaps this generation's Freedom Riders with be Freedom Writers leading a war on poverty through blogs, video blogs and citizen journalism by helping all of us see the side of America that is rarely on broadcast TV.
Whether or not Vice President Gore chooses to run, he too, could be a transformational leader if his message translates into people's lives being changed with the way they use energy. I sure hope that many of us are transformed in our relationship to fossil fuels.
Will any of the other candidates help transform our system? I don't know enough about Vilsack to comment about him, but I will mention one candidate who took me by surprise by the transformational attitude of one of his staffers.
I ran into a staffer of Sen. Dodd at an event in Washington. The staffer talked about using Dodd's campaign to help bring about lasting change in our electoral system. Now, I'm from Connecticut. I like Sen. Dodd. I know that he's been in the Senate for twenty-five years, was a former DNC chair and is the son of a former Senator. The idea of him bringing about meaningful change to the electoral system took me by surprise. He did co-sponsor the Help America Vote Act, which while it may have been well intentioned seems to have done as much to help America vote as No Child Left Behind has done for education.
So, as it stands right now, Sen. Edwards is the candidate that I believe has the greatest potential to bring about transformation, so that's where I'm putting my energy.
