I
just joined a democratic meet-up group not too long ago. The first email I read that
was sent out talked about the rise of property taxes and wanted to
discuss why this was happening and how the cost of housing was rising
beyond most of our means.
As
I re-read it several times to make sure it wasn't a republican group I
joined I thought I would show up at the meeting with property tax
information like where every cent of your property taxes go, and how
property taxes are levied according to the value of property and how
those property values are rising. The county is transparent on this
issue and with one call anyone can find out this information.
I decided not to waste my time going to the meeting.
Then
I started getting the emails that seemed to try to guilt trip me into
going to a meeting and then yelling emails assuming that I was
complacent and not interested in be active.
This
how I spend my week, I go to a Muslim Civil rights organization and
talk to Muslims who are under attack now more than ever. I write a blog
on political issues, go to Black Live Matters demonstrations, and other
grass roots actions.
Today I am going to Olympia to protest the electoral college. On January 21st I will go to the women's march here in Seattle.
My
friends say t that marching in the streets will do nothing to
change. But what I say to them is that we need to change the narrative
and let's face it the press is not reporting on our issues in a positive
light because they get their sound bits from the republican types like
right to lifers, white supremacist, and other FOX news types. One
action that inspired me was when the Democrats orchestrated a sit-in in
congress for gun control and the press actual reported on something
other than the NRA point of view.
So
when trying to organize and no one is showing up consider your what
your doing is not working and not blame the very people you hope to
inspire to stand up and take action with you.