Quick, Fiery Note on the Massachusetts Senate Election

I left the following comment on a blog post urging people to get out and vote for the Democratic candidate running for Ted Kennedy's old seat in the U.S. Senate.

If even 20% of the energy spent on electing Obama in 2008 had been put into developing long term, grassroots community groups that actually did something in their communities, maybe some real change might come to this nation. Getting elected officials to change requires that people enact their dreams as best they can on a smaller scale. Look at every major progressive movement that occurred in the last century and a half - it always began locally, and spread out from there, until the people in power at the time had no choice but to do something.

It never ceases to amaze me how people will vote for politicians who turn around and slit the throats of every good idea that they spoke about during their campaigns. And then the same people who voted for these frauds shout down and slander those of us who were willing to stand by our ideals, and work on the ground to make them happen. I'll take a slice of idealism and some hard work in my community any day over the false hope and backstabbing that comes from putting your eggs in the basket of corporate-dominated politicians.

In a way, this fits in with the previous post about sticking with a practice and not bailing when things get uncomfortable. You want to see a greener, more eco-friendly world: get off your ass and do something in your own community. You want better health care: start lobbying the doctors and nurses you know to step out of their corporate positions and open up a non-profit clinic in your neighborhood. Stop looking for elected officials to fulfill your dreams of a better world. I promise you, when whatever movement you help start reaches the tipping point in terms of numbers, the politicians will still be there, hanging out in their comfortable offices, and probably more ready to listen to what you all have to say.

Ah, and while you're at it, remember that old Buddhist idea about letting go of all hopes of fruition. A good thing to remember when things appear stalled for years on end.