as i said above..."being a non-politically oriented individual, i have no idea how one goes about actually making a difference in the world of politics."... allow me to expand this statement for clarification.
i r a dummy when it comes to how politics work. it's not that i don't care, or wouldn't try if i knew how, but i seriously don't know -anything- about this particular process. i admit, i would be a better person if i knew how my country was run... but i just don't care to study politics. politics (at least in it's current governmental form) disgust me and i avoid them when i'm able. yes, for the most part i stick my fingers in my ears and go la-la-la... i'm not proud of this, but i admit it.
i don't know who my "local house and senate representatives" are, i don't know what they do, where they are, or what they need to hear to get the desired response from them. i don't know what a constituent is, or why that would be more important than a concerned citizen. chances are good i didn't vote for the person in the office i'm writing to. i usually vote for those offices, but i never pay attention to who wins the election.
oh sure, if i knew who they were, i could jot off a list of irritations at them (squawking), and they would nod, smile, think "this isn't my department", and send back a pleasant letter to assuage me. nothing is accomplished if the right words don't reach the right people. i would much rather know a)to whom i am speaking, b)what their powers and responsibilities are, c)why they even care what i think or want, and d)what form of communication i need to present my concerns in.
as an example, if a letter resembled this note i'm writing now went to a congressman, it would be dismissed out of hand because the tone is informal and loaded with conversational grammar... it's pro'lly a little argumentative too(sorry 'bout that). if the letter was too formal, or too general, or addressed issues not in the congressman's sphere of influence, it would pro'lly be dismissed as a form letter. if i knew the target audience, and the proper content of the letter, i would most likely speak up, but i'm not willing to delve deeply enough into the politics i despise to find this information myself.
if i must, i can write a really snazzy letter... and just because i despise the current condition of things doesn't mean that i'm not willing to try... i'm just sayin' that, left to my own devices, i don't have enough information to assist you in making that change, and it's very doubtful that i would pursue that course on my own.
you said "i am going to write letters to my representative. if any of you care about this issue and feel the same way, i hope you will as well." i do care, i do feel the same way, and if you want my help, i'm willing to help, but this little peasant needs schooling before i'm -able- to help. i also suspect that there's alot of others out there in the same boat... willing, but not able, due to lack of specific information and no idea where to get this specific information.
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Date: 2008-08-09 09:01 pm (UTC)i r a dummy when it comes to how politics work. it's not that i don't care, or wouldn't try if i knew how, but i seriously don't know -anything- about this particular process. i admit, i would be a better person if i knew how my country was run... but i just don't care to study politics. politics (at least in it's current governmental form) disgust me and i avoid them when i'm able. yes, for the most part i stick my fingers in my ears and go la-la-la... i'm not proud of this, but i admit it.
i don't know who my "local house and senate representatives" are, i don't know what they do, where they are, or what they need to hear to get the desired response from them. i don't know what a constituent is, or why that would be more important than a concerned citizen. chances are good i didn't vote for the person in the office i'm writing to. i usually vote for those offices, but i never pay attention to who wins the election.
oh sure, if i knew who they were, i could jot off a list of irritations at them (squawking), and they would nod, smile, think "this isn't my department", and send back a pleasant letter to assuage me. nothing is accomplished if the right words don't reach the right people. i would much rather know a)to whom i am speaking, b)what their powers and responsibilities are, c)why they even care what i think or want, and d)what form of communication i need to present my concerns in.
as an example, if a letter resembled this note i'm writing now went to a congressman, it would be dismissed out of hand because the tone is informal and loaded with conversational grammar... it's pro'lly a little argumentative too(sorry 'bout that). if the letter was too formal, or too general, or addressed issues not in the congressman's sphere of influence, it would pro'lly be dismissed as a form letter. if i knew the target audience, and the proper content of the letter, i would most likely speak up, but i'm not willing to delve deeply enough into the politics i despise to find this information myself.
if i must, i can write a really snazzy letter... and just because i despise the current condition of things doesn't mean that i'm not willing to try... i'm just sayin' that, left to my own devices, i don't have enough information to assist you in making that change, and it's very doubtful that i would pursue that course on my own.
you said "i am going to write letters to my representative. if any of you care about this issue and feel the same way, i hope you will as well." i do care, i do feel the same way, and if you want my help, i'm willing to help, but this little peasant needs schooling before i'm -able- to help. i also suspect that there's alot of others out there in the same boat... willing, but not able, due to lack of specific information and no idea where to get this specific information.