I’m stuck in the Capital Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ) but now it’s called Capital Hill Occupied Protest (CHOP) and now there’s been three shootings in about four days so it may be going back to normal.
Super conservative people in the Midwest think it’s Mad Max meets Lord of the Flies. So does Fox News.
Super liberal people think maybe it’s okay but wait what about Black Lives Matter, George Floyd and truly don’t we at some point have to give it back so the people who live here can actually live here and once the pandemic is over these businesses can do business stuff like they used to? Or are we commandeering this thing, ah, permanently? Oh man.
Communists, violent offenders, avid drug users, addicts, and total optimists think it’s fine and dandy as is. As do people needing content for their YouTube channels. As do people who really get into Fairs – you know, the kind with rides and carneys and hay and peanut shells and the wafting aroma of manure and such.
Speaking of which, local and national news networks appear done covering the CHOP, at least the mainstream ones. It was a good run, garnering their attention for roughly 8.5 business days which is impressive.
Regardless, let’s hope everyone votes. Yes, if CHOP leads to anything let’s have it be high voter turnout.
Take all this momentum and belief and figure out what it’s going to take to get those you speak for to vote then help them vote and ensure they vote. Everyone votes. Allocate any resources you may have garnered from your affiliation with the CHOP to the vote.
They (conservative or liberal) don’t want you to vote, no way, they’ll lose if everyone votes. So let’s all vote.
Voting is unglamorous. You don’t get props for voting, or any attention at all really. Sure, famous people do Public Service Announcements about it and back in ancient times channels like MTV encouraged youth to “Rock the Vote” but just the word is so drab and headache-y and how can you, the tired, the disaffected, the leaders of this movement, get behind something so dull?
There’s so much to distract you. Invitations to lead movements. Media and entertainment opportunities. Maybe straight up job offers to help your local multi-national whitewash their terrible image.
But real change…it starts with the vote, continues with the vote, and lives forever with the vote. You have to vote, and you have to get your friends to vote. Each and every time. That’s a responsibility you didn’t want from the CHOP, but it’s landed on your lap, so it’s up to you what you do with it.
If it helps, it doesn’t hurt to ask for help. Right now you probably have more people and organizations with real power willing to help than ever before.