Thanks, Jessica, for the warm welcome. Since there's not much top-secret DC insider info to share right now (not that I'd hear it anyway), I'll tell a little story about me.
Last Tuesday was primary day in Washington. There's a polling place right next to my office, so I ended up walking through a gauntlet of signs and supporters of various candidates. I was talking to one of my coworkers about two of the mayoral candidates. When we passed one volunteer, I mentioned that she was "also good." The volunteer overheard and said "she's the best." We kept walking. Then he (middle aged white man) raises his voice and starts telling me (young black woman), in a remarkably condescending tone, "I'm trying to empower black women." Seriously, that's what he said. I said something smart-assy about being plenty empowered to vote for another candidate, and kept going.
The experience bugged me enough to send off an email to the campaign. And I did get an apology. I doubt this one guy was enough to lose the race for her, but it didn't help. So, as election season kicks into high gear around the country (it's always election season in the District), here's a tip for campaign volunteers: Don't be an ass to potential voters. That is all.
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Jesus, Jen. You are so anti-empowerment.
Man, Jen, after they gave us the vote and everything.
I had a similar-ish experience on primary day. The campaign worker for one mayoral candidate literally knocked me out of the way to talk to an elderly woman walking up to the polling place.
My guess is that the campaign worker assumed I wasn't going to vote - a young person, admittedly looking a bit grubby in a big hoodie with hair going all crazy.
The look on the campaign worker's face when I came out of the polling station, proudly displaying my I voted sticker, was priceless.
Don't be an ass to potential voters.
You would be amazed,if not appalled,at how many people simply do not get this.
"If it's breathing,it's a potential supporter!"
I think rudeness in politics is a sign of social decay,but of course those who exhibit symptoms mistake it for a sign of strength.Or something.
Oh, politics. *sigh*
Though I think I would suckerpunch Michael Steele if he said the same thing...
On top of everything else, "I'm trying to empower black women!" makes an incredibly ineffective pickup line.
Don't ask me how I know this.
For some reason, this all reminds me of local (white) anti-choice wacko Roy McMillan, who always screams "THEY'RE KILLING YOUR PEOPLE, MA'AM!" to my (African-American) NOW chapter president whenever she walks into the clinic. Apparently Roy thinks he's Malcolm X. Except white. And Protestant. And probably suburban. And...
Cheers,
TH
I'm reminded of Pee-wee Herman: "I'm TRYING to use the PHONE." As I recall, his line went over just as well.
Great post--welcome!
Halfmad, that's brilliant. I now envision Pee-Wee Herman standing by the door with a campaign button saying "I'm TRYING to empower black WOMEN!"
And agreed on the first post. I have a really good feeling about Jen...
Cheers,
TH
Oh, jeez, as a political organizer, i apologize on behalf of...whomever. Every campaign I've ever worked on has at least one volunteer like that: the condescending guy who thinks it's *just great* that a woman like me is interested in politics and wants to tell me *all about* gender issues. i.e. what i should think. bah.
a lot of these guys have serious emotional/psychological issues, and i usually try to keep them away from the public when they're "my" volunteers.
The real gem is the precise parsing: "I'm trying to empower black women." Not, "My candidate has a better record on racial issues," or "Why are you supporting the other candidate?", but "I'm trying to empower black women."
Apparently Roy thinks he's Malcolm X. Except white. And Protestant. And probably suburban. And...
Does he condone (or apologize for) anti-choice terrorism? That would certainly explain why he compares himself to Malcolm X.
Alon, Roy made headlines in the late 90s by arguing in defense of abortion clinic bombers. I have encountered him in person for years (I have some fun/strange stories to tell about that) and think he's probably harmless, but he has been featured on the natonal level as one of the scariest nutters in the movement, and judging him by his rhetoric alone, he certainly has that coming.
Cheers,
TH
I can see the slogan: "Roy MacMillan: the means of Malcolm X, the ends of Barry Goldwater."
A bitch is damn thrilled to see you blogging. Dayum!
Actually, Malcolm X advocated violence only in self-defense (which most of us would agree with), and Barry Goldwater was a social libertarian who hated the Religious Right... ;o)
Cheers,
TH