"No, Thanks."

[Sugar Smack]

We'd had the most delicious meal; we'd had brunch at our favorite cafe, and we talked and laughed until our sides hurt. We went to a nearby drugstore & grocery store to say "goodbye" outside. We noticed a woman that one of my friends knew.

She was prematurely gray, wearing glasses, a parka and jeans. She had a clipboard with her. She was asking people, "Will you sign this petition to end corruption in Washington?"

I'm in a blue town in a red state. So I was incredibly shocked to see people say the words, "No, thanks" to the request. She was from MoveOn, and I signed it at once. The list will go to our state's representative. So my best friend & I watched as she tried to engage strangers to sign the petition. HALF of them said, "No, thanks." What kind of an answer is that? No, thanks? I'm in a hurry, I have to douse my grill with moths, I have to go, go, go? I thought this was a blue town!!!!!! She was at the rally, you know, September 24th, 2005. She was standing around with a clipboard today.

Maybe she should have had black glasses and a pencil cup?

:grr:

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

1. Apparently sheeple like corruption

I can't believe that people think that what is going on is ok. I fear that the only thing that would wake some of them up would be to either institute a draft or take away citizen's guns.

[Sugar Smack]

3. I know. "In a hurry" is no excuse.

I was really surprised (and obviously still am) at their response to this. Waving their hands like they didn't give a damn.

[TahitiNut]

2. People in a democracy get the government they deserve.

:shrug:

Is it any surprise whatsoever that, in a culture that regards three topics as 'impolite' to discuss (sex, religion, and politics), we're so abominably ignorant of those three topics?

[Sugar Smack]

4. Amazing, isn't it?

What's the rush? I saw for myself the first time TODAY that there are people in my blue town not wanting to engage in the war against Bush and his lies.

[TahitiNut]

6. Kids in a mental Disneyland rarely want to do homework.

We're a nation of escapists. We prefer sitting in front of the one-way boob tube, tuning to the addiction of our choice, to engaging in discussions where we actually have to give something old and take something new. When we see or hear something we 'don't like' we just change the channel - and, using the remote, we don't even have to get off our asses.

The greatest difference of opinion in many American homes is "tastes great" or "less filling" and greater differences often result in divorce - the sacrament of escapism celebrating the sanctity of marriage.

[muriel_volestrangler]

5. Being realistic, what will the petition do?

It's not as if anyone going to say "Damn, I thought they wanted us to be corrupt! Turns out they don't want corruption after all. Well, better make corruption illegal, then."

Petitions should be for making your views known, with a view to getting something changed. Corruption is already illegal, due to public demand. Why sign a petition about it?

[TahitiNut]

7. Being realistic, what would walking one block do to help one's health?

Let's wait until our health si so absolutely appalling that walking a block would be regarded as 'success.' After all, why exercise our liberties until it's REALLY NECESSARY.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. I can't see what your allusion has to do with it

What does a petition saying people are against illegal acts do? Who would you hand it to? What would you expect them to do as a result?

Are you saying that a lot of meaningless petitions would eventually get someone to act differently - just as walking many blocks would have an effect on your health?

I think handing in peititions saying "we are against corruption", "we are against murder", "we are against theft", "we are against fraud", etc., would just get the receiver pissed off. "Oh no, yet another petition saying people are for good and against evil". I'll give you an allusion - "the boy who cried wolf".

[FreedomAngel82]

9. Aww

:( God bless her for trying though. :(

[Jara sang]

10. I guess people are cool with corruption in D.C.?

and the politicians bank on it.

[Nicole]

11. I wouldn't sign it either

Not in this day of identity theft. No way I'm going to give a stranger on the street my name & address.

When I'm asked to sign a petition in public, I ask for a card from the org. instead. I will then go to their local office & sign a petition. I call them to mail me a petition to sign if they don't have a local office. If it's a petition I believe in I don't mind going out of my way to sign it.

[Lorien]

12. One DUer wrote recently "Repugs talk and act without thinking, while

Democrats think and talk without acting". That's always been a major problem for our party, but I don't know how to go about changing it. :-(