NOW with David Brancaccio featured a great segment on political bloggers tonight. Jay of 4&20 blackbirds did an excellent job representin’, and helped lend our medium more credibility.
Much of the segment was devoted to the question of how much our writing (or in my case “writing”) impacts elections.
But the question I ask myself about blogging is “why can’t I shut up?” I have always had an interest in letting others know what I think.
I have no education to speak of. I am not an expert in political science or public policy.
I simply must speak my mind. Put it out there. Hope to stir things up. I just need to let you know about my perspective. My opinion. My beliefs.
I don’t know why. It’s just that I can’t shut up.
And you should not shut up either. Because somewhere, someone is listening.
And they might decide that it is time for them to speak up as well.
And start preaching to the choir.
How much does blogging impact elections? I’d like to think I have a lot of impact, but hey, let’s be real. I’m just one small voice. I like your point — we all need to speak out. It’s one of our rights as citizens. It’s also one of our responsibilities. If somebody somewhere gets something from it, is moved by it, so much the better. We do have to do it — maybe collectively we’ll have an impact that we wouldn’t have individually. Who knows? I’m no analyst or policy expert either. There’s plenty around who do a fine job. They’re important. So are the agitators. They keep the soup stirred. Keep it up Liberal Wacko.
By: pjfinn on September 16, 2006
at 3:37 pm
What do you mean you’re no expert? I bet that youhave opinions about the way things affect your life and the lives of others around you.
Please don’t shut up, our silence allowed the situation to deteriorate to the point that it is now.
By: grannyinsanity on September 17, 2006
at 4:40 am
yeah…like what I said, I’m just a guy with a mortgage, two kids, and a car. I mean, who better to comment on politics? That’s the message I took from the show — tho I helped create it — that the reason blogging succeeds, is because it’s about us, people, speaking out not because we’re paid or because we want to inflict revenge, but because we feel it’s necessary…
By: touchstone on September 18, 2006
at 5:22 pm
Frankly I feel the world would be a better place if the “experts” would shut up and listen to us plebes for a change.
By: b-psycho on September 18, 2006
at 5:27 pm
I love the commercial for “Crashing the Gate”…
http://youtube.com/watch?v=fFm5-AC2Ev4&search=Crashing%20the%20gates
Pretty well captures my feelings.
By: wacko on September 18, 2006
at 7:25 pm