From: Watch97@aol.com
Date: Sun, 27 Oct 1996 09:18:11 -0500
Subject: Can’t We All Just Stop Outsmarting Ourselves and Do Something?

CAN’T WE ALL JUST STOP OUTSMARTING OURSELVES AND DO SOMETHING?

To One and All on this list--

I cannot help but be extremely dismayed at the various debates/"chit chat"
going on here and elsewhere about not voting, not voting for Clinton, voting
for “the lesser of two evils,” voting for third parties, so forth and so on.

Party politics do by-and-large stink and everyone is entitled to their
opinion. But to say as someone did -- “In some ways I have more respect for
Dole on gay issues than Clinton.  Aside from returning the LRC contribution,
Dole's never to my knowledge said one thing on gay issues and then failed to
follow through, unlike Clinton...” Earth to Mars dada! (Nothing personal.)

Why do we choose to beat up on ourselves and/or our friends, rather than
focus on making sure that those who are so clearly and hatefully not our
friends do not get elected? BILL CLINTON DID NOT CREATE DOMA. The rest of the
conversation is, at least for the moment, purely academic. We can certainly
have that discussion, but hopefully not at the expense of shooting ourselves
in both feet.  Is spending energy now on the possible future use of some
probably skewed statistics from some exit poll re potential gay and lesbian
votes for “virtually any” third party candidates more important than ending
up with a Republican Congress, Governor, State House, and so forth, AND
questionable clout with the Democratic Party? For God’s sake! (Pun intended.)

Meanwhile, the rightwing of this country is poisoning the minds of millions
well-meaning Americans against the media, the process, and our government.
When Bob Dole starts shouting. “The country belongs to the people, not The
New York Times,” we must realize that our country is in deep, deep trouble.

The issue in the next ten days is not dialogue and strategy, but ACTION!

The Christian Coalition is struggling -- yes, struggling, no matter what they
say to the media (because they chose to back Dole from the beginning against
the preferences/beliefs of their most zealous followers) -- to get volunteers
out to infect churches with their highly-questionable “voter guides.” In some
precincts, one church of 200 people may turn an election. What will we answer
with?

No matter what spin Mr. Ralph Reed and his fellow travelers put on it, a
major GOP defeat all the way down the ticket will be a very serious blow to
the political power of the right wing in general and the Christian Coalition
in particular as relates to partisan party politics. We actually have a
chance to wreck the Christian Coalition as we now know it!

We all understand what the defeat of Jesse Helms would mean. But have you
stopped to imagine the impact of a Democratic landslide rippling west to
finally knock Bob Dornan off his C-SPAN soap box?  

There are many more similarly important examples. For up to the minute news
on races all around the country that need your support, you can access the
NOW website (http://www.now.org/pac/1996/).

For more information on the very serious “voter guide” issue and ways that
you can help,  you can access the websites of either Americans United for
Separation of Church and State (http://www.netplexgroup.com/americansunited/)
or the Interfaith Alliance (http://www.intr.net/tialliance).

“Clearly, not enough emphasis is placed upon the importance of a single vote.
Throughout history many elections have been decided by only a handful of
votes. And the smaller the scope of the election [as in LOCAL], the greater
emphasis one vote can have. The largest tax increase in American history was
passed by one vote. A recent gubernatorial election was decided by seven
thousand votes out of 1.8 million cast. That’s just over three votes per
precinct.”  (“Neighborhood Coordinator,” a pamphlet published by the
Christian Coalition)

This is how the Christian Coalition made its mark. It is the key. 

Many, many groups have worked very hard since 1994 to organize and mobilize
the vote.  There are many important issues and many constituencies in
jeopardy.  Now we must all stand as one.

If we want equal rights, we must then be equal to the task of seeing the Big
Picture.

WE HAVE ALL TALKED THE TALK, AND NOW WE MUST WALK THE WALK. It is absolutely
crucial  that we focus on the nitty gritty reality of this election -- by
voting/working for progressive candidates everywhere and inspiring others to
do the same.

Sincerely,
Paula Xanthopoulou
Editor of “c.c.watch”