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There is
a growing frustration with our election system as Americans
are faced with e-voting machines that leave no evidence, the
multitude of chad errors, and Supreme Court decisions that
delivered the presidency to Bush amidst questionable results.
Many Americans will therefore ignore the challenge of freedom.
Like millions of my peers, I sometimes feel as if the democratic
process can be too easily rigged, like a game of nutshell
or three card monte. With all the controversy over voting
procedure and accuracy, I’ve thought about letting my
voice be overlooked, by consciously not voting in protest
of the system with which our collective sentience is expressed.
However, I’ve recently recognized two distinct problems
with this attitude; reliance on others to make our decisions,
and the fact that responsible people will not always be there
to make such choices for us. One day, this generation must
rise to power, take the helm, and navigate the course of human
development. |
Democracy is only relevant when we accept the responsibilities
of citizenship. The challenge facing our generation is great,
and the weight of our collective choice bears much effect. If
I do not vote, I choose to give up on democracy, and if enough
people fall into this mindset, the likely outcome is that corruptible
and unscrupulous powers will recognize our collective weakness
and take advantage of the system with which we are to maintain
a semblance of control. There are strategic disparagements between
the two pivotal parties that have broad social, economic, political
and security-related repercussions. Though my personal politics
sway towards the left, and I would like to see John Kerry and
John Edwards claim victory in the upcoming election, I think
that democracy itself is at stake in 2004. Of utmost importance
to the survival of our way of life during this tumultuous period
of world revolution is an active citizenry who will accept the
burden of freedom and share the responsibility of democracy.
Voting actively steers revolution, while not voting is a passive
acceptance that change will drive forward without you. |
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The following information is not intended to sway your political
ideology. Rather, it is an examination of the various voter
registration and political action initiatives available for
the American people to take advantage of. Some of the organizations
that we have profiled are non-partisan; that is they simply
want to engage young people in the democratic process, regardless
of affiliation. Others have a specific partisan agenda. Accepting
freedom means that each of us must make up our own minds based
on the information available to us. Take some time to read
both sides of the story; do a little bit of research over
the next few months and make a decision that is based on your
own moral and ethical ideal. But for the sake of our future,
and the survival of the democratic system, get out there on
November 2nd 2004 and vote. It only takes a minute to exercise
your rights, and your future rests on the outcome of that
day.
Craig
M. Cook
Founder- Cityzen.tv |
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Headcount
information culled
directly from www.headcount.org |
HeadCount is a volunteer-based organization that is unleashing
an aggressive and highly publicized voter registration drive
targeting fans of live, improvisational music. Strictly a nonpartisan
organization with no ties to any individual party, candidate,
or ideology, their message stresses the importance of voting
and participating in American democracy. Between now and the
November election, HeadCount will join forces with most of the
major bands, promoters and media companies involved in the improvisational
music scene. Voters will be registered though a variety of activities,
including outreach tables at concerts all over America, and
contests that offer prizes such as festival tickets and autographed
memorabilia.
HeadCount is recruiting volunteers to assist with their efforts.
Visit www.headcount.org to join the HeadCount team or to find
out when HeadCount is visiting your home town (or home tour).
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HeadCount
is chaired by Marc Brownstein, the bassist for The Disco
Biscuits, and Andy Bernstein, founder of the Phish fan's
guide The Pharmer's Almanac, and now a sports media
reporter and producer of the live music dance party
series Syn. Other board members include Grateful Dead
guitarist Bob Weir, moe. guitarist Al Schnier, JamBase.com
founder Andy Gadiel, High Sierra Music Festival's Dave
Margulies, the Madison House management and booking
agency's Nadia Prescher, Relix Magazine's Jon Schwartz,
Jammys producer Peter Shapiro, and Gov't Mule manager
Stefani Scamardo. |
www.HeadCount.org |
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MoveOn
information culled directly from
www.moveon.org |
| With a nationwide
network of more than 2,000,000 online activists, MoveOn.org
is one of the most effective and responsive outlets for democratic
participation available today. At MoveOn, every member has
a voice in choosing the shared direction of the organization.
Using their ActionForum software, you can propose issue priorities
and strategies. Others will see and respond to your suggestions,
and the most strongly supported ideas will rise to the top.
In 2000, for example, members chose campaign finance reform
and protection of the environment as the top two priorities.
In 2003, Iraq and media reform rose to the top.
MoveOn continues to take
the initiative to organize quick action on other timely issues
as they arise. MoveOn is working to bring ordinary people
back into politics. With a system that today revolves around
big money and big media, most citizens are left out. MoveOn
is a catalyst for a new kind of grassroots involvement, supporting
busy but concerned citizens in finding their political voice.
The organization's funding comes almost completely from independent
donations. |
MoveOn also supports Move
On Political Action Committeee (MoveOnPAC.org),
a sister organization working to broaden public support for
key congressional campaigns representing a newer, wider range
of vision and talent in federal politics. Through MoveOnPAC.org,
more than 10,000 everyday Americans together contributed more
than $2 million to key congressional campaigns in the 2000
election, and more than $3.5 million in 2002 election.
The MoveOn Peace campaign was founded
independently by Eli Pariser, a Maine native and recent graduate
of Simon's Rock College of Bard. In the days following September
11th, 2001, he launched an online petition calling for a restrained
and multi-lateral response to the attacks, which was quickly
signed by more than half a million people. Eli joined forces
with MoveOn soon afterward, and is now MoveOnPAC's Executive
Director (see www.moveonpac.org). |
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MoveOn
was started by Joan Blades and Wes Boyd, two Silicon
Valley entrepreneurs. Although neither had experience
in politics, they shared deep frustration with the partisan
warfare in Washington D.C. and the ridiculous waste
of our nation's focus at the time of the impeachment
mess. On September 18th 1998, they launched an online
petition to "Censure President Clinton and Move
On to Pressing Issues Facing the Nation." Within
days they had hundreds of thousands of individuals signed
up, and began looking for ways these voices could be
heard. |
www.moveon.org |
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Rock The Vote
information culled directly from www.rockthevote.com |
Rock the Vote is a non-profit, non-partisan
organization, founded in 1990 in response to a wave of attacks
on freedom of speech and artistic expression. Rock the Vote
engages youth in the political process by incorporating the
entertainment community and youth culture into its activities.
From actors to musicians, comedians to athletes, the organization
harnesses cutting-edge trends and pop culture to make political
participation cool.
Rock the Vote mobilizes young people to create positive social
and political change in their lives and communities. The goal
of their media campaigns and street team activities is to increase
youth voter turnout by coordinating voter registration drives,
get-out-the-vote events, and voter education efforts.
Rock the Vote’s work doesn’t end when the polls
close. They continually empower young people to create change
in their communities, encouraging them to take action on the
issues they care about. Regardless of whether youth are signing
petitions, running for office, contacting their elected officials,
or taking up a sign in protest, they are all rocking the vote. |
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Punk
Voter
information culled directly from www.punkvoter.com
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| Punkvoter.com claims, "Something
needs to be done to unite the youth vote and bring real activism
back into our society. Punk rock has always been on the edge
and in the forefront of politics. It is time to energize the
majority of today’s disenfranchised youth movement and
punk rockers to make change a reality." Punk bands, musicians,
and record labels have built a coalition to educate today’s
youth about what is really going on in Washington, DC and how
punks can collectively force change in the same spirit as all
punk efforts. Punkvoter's goal is to educate, register, and
mobilize over 500,000 youth as one voice, standing together
in "a union against the chaotic policies George W. Bush
has put in place. He must be exposed." |
| Remember, some of punk’s greatest
inventors back lashed against the norms of their society. Punk
rock has clearly broken down the prudish undercurrents of many
Puritanical yet supposedly “modern” governments.
Punk bands like the Sex Pistols, MC5, The Clash, Subhumans,
Minor Threat, Crass, and Propagandhi have all been a voice for
the working class and other minorities in times of strife. Punk
musicians have never been afraid to speak out on such topics
as drug abuse, suicide, and forms of discrimination such as
sexism and racism. In addition, small bands have been local
voices for their communities’ grassroots concerns. From
benefit concerts (California’s NOFX, Green Day), to running
shelters (DC’s Fugazi and Positive Force) punks have always
preached social change. Even though punk’s diversity spans
the political spectrum from the far right to the far left (and
even includes those that advocate for the complete breakdown
of government as we know it), punk has always preached in the
hopes of making change a reality. |
| The
Following Stats and Info are published on Punkvoter.com-
Please intrepret with discression.
The US is waging wars on false pretenses.
Kids under our country's legal drinking age are fighting
overseas and dying.
Unemployment has reached nine-year highs.
Every state has budget deficits and is actively passing
these burdens on to future generations.
An estimated 60% of the 2003 graduates will have to
move back in with their parents because of the lack
of jobs.
The 18 to 24-year-old voter demographic dropped to an
all time low of only 38% in 2000. |
www.punkvoter.com |
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Choose or Lose
information culled directly from
www.mtv.com/chooseorlose |
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Making politics
easy to digest for the youth demographic, Choose or Lose is
MTV's answer to political awareness. Attempting to further
the success of their 2000 effort, this year, Choose or Lose
is touring the country in an attempt to register 20 Million
new voters. The tour stops allow for voter registration and
open dialogue about the issues concerning youth voters. The
best part of Choose or Lose is their partners (Project Votesmart,
Meetup, Factcheck.org, Declare Yourself, etc…), as the
campaign itself suffers from an overall lack of trust in the
intelligence of the youth of America.
Difficult to navigate and sparse in content,
the Choose or Lose website is the weakest link in this great
program. The front page of the web site dumbs down the political
process and transforms important political consciousness into
bite size morsels of information presented in traditional
MTV demo-design. Further study of the site reveals well-written,
researched and poignant articles whose topics range from economics
and political process to definitions of commonly used political
terms. As a portal for uninformed youth whose only outlet
to culture is MTV, this is a good start. However, if you are
connected to the Internet and are looking to gain insight
into the political process, there are plenty of other sites
that won't treat you like an idiot. |
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