a-little-pigeon

[a-little-pigeon]

[a-little-pigeon]

So there's something I want to say re: intentionally withholding your vote, and I want to do it without coming across as condescending or dismissive.

I've worked as a field organizer in two campaigns, 2010 and 2012, and my job was to help turnout the vote for Democratic candidates up and down the ticket. Technology may have changed, but people are still knocking on doors for specific voters the way they were 12 years ago.

If you say you're not voting/voting 3rd party, the campaign volunteer is supposed to mark that and move on. Their job, in the final month of the election, is to make sure the campaign's supporters have all the information and resources they need to cast a vote.

They aren't collecting data on why you're withholding your vote. They aren't submitting opinion polling results to the campaign. Something like 155 million people voted in the 2020 election, and if you say you're not voting, the campaign is not going to waste a volunteer's time and morale begging you to vote when there are literally millions of other voters to turn out.

Let me repeat that: The campaign does not track why you're not voting. They simply note your vote is not a priority for turnout and move on.

I say this because I see a lot of promotion of non-voting like that's a boycott, when the function is not the same. A boycott is a coordinated mass refusal to engage with an institution—which sounds similar if you see a vote as a good or service to withhold. Unfortunately, it's not.

A vote is a choice you're making as part of a community hiring committee. Your abstention doesn't prevent someone from being hired. It just lowers the threshold for the worst candidate to succeed.

All this to say: In my direct experience as an organizer, abstaining from the vote sends a message. That message is not "You need to try harder to win my vote." It's "Don't waste time on me."

[a-little-pigeon]

A friendly reminder to USians: if you are planning to vote on Election Day, your mantra is "Nothing I see today convinces me not to go vote."

Exit polls suggest DT cannot be caught? YOU STILL GO VOTE.

Exit polls suggest KH has it in the bag? YOU STILL GO VOTE.

Pundits are saying the country is swinging overwhelmingly red? YOU STILL GO VOTE.

Pundits are saying the country is swinging overwhelmingly blue? YOU STILL GO VOTE.

Polls can be misleading (intentionally or not). The methodology can be biased (or simply poor). Early results may not reflect what the full count will show. There may be a red mirage. NOTHING YOU SEE CONVINCES YOU NOT TO VOTE.

The biggest Democratic win in swing states means nothing if democrats don't turn out everywhere to keep the reliably blue states blue.

VOTE. Wear appropriate weather gear if you think you may have to stand in a line outside (coat, hat, gloves, umbrella, sunhat, whatever, you know where you live). Bring water and a snack and something to do (book, game on your phone, podcast and headphones, whatever, you know what you like). GO VOTE.

NOTHING YOU SEE ON ELECTION DAY CONVINCES YOU NOT TO VOTE.

[a-little-pigeon]

In a truck stop bathroom washing my hands today and 2 boys, looked about 5 and 9, came in with their little sister who looked maybe 2. The following whispered conversation made my entire day

"We have to wait, there's a lady in here!"

"That's not a lady, he has a mustache! We can be in here!"

"Some ladies have mustaches! And she has boobs!"

"Well some guys have boobs! Like Uncle Jake!"

"Uncle Jake is fat!"

At this point I could not contain a chuckle and both whirled around with identical looks of panic on their faces. I smiled and said "it's alright for you guys to be in here so your sister has help, don't worry. And I'm both! That's why I have boobs and a mustache. Some folks are just built that way"

(In unison) "Ooooooh!"

(older boy) "So do you use Sir or Ma'am or both?"

"Both, but I prefer Sir"

"Cool! Well thanks Sir! We have to help our sister now!"

This was in a small town country truck stop and both boys had "Murica" type stuff on and neither of them had any issue at all with these concepts. Their mom approached me while I was in line about 10 minutes later and apologized for them bothering me in the bathroom (they had told her about the interaction) and she and I had a lovely little chat too. I got to introduce her to the term "intersex" and her reply was "I think I've heard of that before! I didn't know that was the word for it. Amazing how many different ways God can make people!"

Sometimes the world is good. More often than you might think, if you give it a chance. It's not all bad loves <3

[a-little-pigeon]

PLEASE TAKE A MOMENT TO READ!!

Mona (@mohammedshehabtt) has reached out to me to share new info with you all. She needs to buy two tents for herself and her mother and father. The cost of the two tents is $3,000. It’s now winter in Gaza and the conditions are horrible. Mona, her husband, her parents, and her two young daughters have no shelter to keep out of the cold and rain. These tents are essential to their survival. Please donate if you can, no amount is too small. So far, they have only raised 2k out of their 30k goal. We can help them reach their short term goal of $3,000 with your help. Please, please consider donating. Even a few bucks will help get them closer to their goal. Sharing this post is also incredibly helpful.

Thank you ❤️

(This campaign is #111 on this list of vetted fundraisers)

[a-little-pigeon]

Self Portrait #4 (“Mage”)

(Digital collage assembled/drawn in Photoshop)

[a-little-pigeon]

Geez, I sure hope history doesn’t repeat itself…

[a-little-pigeon]

hi guys welcome back to my jon blog where i only post jon. here’s a drawing of jon :)

[a-little-pigeon]

never forget that odysseus had a daily cry on calypso’s beach for the entire 7 years he was there

[a-little-pigeon]

Has this been done yet?

[a-little-pigeon]

[a-little-pigeon]

[a-little-pigeon]

They’re back!!

[a-little-pigeon]

as a chronic accidental interrupter, two things i've found really help is

1. interrupting yourself "whoops, i cut you off, please finish"

and

2. say what you were gonna say and then go back to them "sorry, i interrupted you back there, what were you going to say?"

it's not as good as, y'know, not interrupting people all the time, but it does demonstrate that you care about them and their thoughts, so it assuages feelings quite a bit with some people.

[a-little-pigeon]

TRICK OR TREAT! Mind giving me some sweets?

It's the closest I got 🙏

[a-little-pigeon]

if i had to explain what tumblr is like i’d only show this

[a-little-pigeon]

why does this keep happening to me. I've done nothing to deserve this.