Volunteering

So, in all this post election whining, I've seen very few people who are actually going to put up.

You see, last night S and I went to our local democratic booster organization (NXNWDemocrats), and did something that none of the other people there seemed to be willing to do - we volunteered to help. The guy running the group needed someone who could put in like 2 hours a month helping with mailing out meeting post cards, so we volunteered to help. Did any of the other people, who had been coming for a while, offer to help out? Nope. Just sit there and bitch about how the state organization hadn't answered their letters or about how the national party didn't give enough money back to Texas candidates.

To take it one step farther, we're trying to contact our local state reps and volunteer some free consulting time. With a pair of CS PhDs in the house, we figure we can advise on most high tech issues should any of the state reps need advice, and even author position papers if its required. This is a semi-unique skill we have, so we're offering it up to those who might be able to use it.

I'd love, simply LOVE, to see other people do this. Figure out what unique talents you have, and leverage those into ways of helping out. Do online stuff all day? Offer to help run the mailing list or the web site. Do HR things? Offer to help manage their volunteers. Sales? Fund raising. Education? education. Writing? Write editorials or offer to help with our mailings.

Volunteer a little time or a lot, but if you're as upset over the election results as everyone seems to be, offer to do something to make sure that next time, things happen the way you think they should. My experience with most of the local dem organizations is that they're all crying out for competent and experienced volunteers who aren't over 60. Sure, right before the election there were a bunch of people helping (but still no where near enough), but now things are dry. And there are still races that matter. We've got city council elections in May apparently, with some dens trying to take places away from republicans. I'm sure there are similar races all over the country. And if not, you can ALWAYS work on voter education. Volunteer with social studies or current event classes to educate the kids and get them to ask questions. Help your current elected officials to make the right decisions about things so they'll keep getting elected and maybe help others do so as well.

Or at least just get involved. Throw off the hippy and aging professor roots of the dems and get active and organized.