Are you an activist?

[undeterred]

[BuyingThyme]

1. Too many correct answers.

[benburch]

2. Full time paid activist here.

Even though I am paid to do it by my own company.

[undeterred]

3. you rock, benburch

:yourock:

I think I would love to be a paid activist someday, or at least use my tech skills towards something meaningful... when I get more experience.

[Bjornsdotter]

4. Other

More than one correct answer for me.

Cheers!

[Taxloss]

5. "I am deeply involved in several issues"

I contribute time and money to three or four pet causes - Amnesty International is my main interest, followed by Oxfam and a few others.

My work involves campaigning investigative journalism on behalf of a homelessness charity. I also keep the rest of my work in line with my beliefs.

[Der Blaue Engel]

6. Other: I couldn't quite claim a huge amount of my spare time

I sign petitions and contact my representatives on issues, I contribute financially, and I march at rallies and protests when I have the time and energy.

Another area of activism that I consider important is keeping others around me who aren't CSPAN junkies and DU addicts informed about what's going on. Because of the unconscionable failure of the MSM, I've had to become the media for my friends and coworkers.

[sepia_steel]

8. That too.

I spread what I find all over the net when I can pull myself away from DU, and family and friends hear abotu it too.

[sepia_steel]

7. Numbah 2 for me, plus donations to various campaigns or individuals

$25 here and $25 there.

[kweerwolf]

9. Since I'm unemployed (Fuck you very much, Bush!)

I've go all sorts of time to be an activist. In addition to the usual contacting elected officials, etc., etc., I learned how to do a web site for my LGBT Democratic club, post news and opinion links on it almost every day and maintain a mailing list of several hundred club members and allies for LGBT and progressive issues.

(And just to add a shameless plug, the web site is at www.kcpridedemocrats.com ) ;-)

[undeterred]

10. DUers you make me so proud!

:patriot:

I am still trying to figure this out... how to hold down a full time job and commit as much time as possible to activism, and how to decide which issues are the most important. I've gotten involved in several things, but feel like bringing the troops home is my #1 concern.

Next week I will be reading the names of the soldiers from Wisc who have died: http://www.afsc.org/eyes/default.htm

[kweerwolf]

14. Activism asks you to give what time you can ...

... you don't have to work for a cause 24/7 to be an activist. Your family, job and yourself are all important. Take care of them first and give what you can to the cause or causes you support.

[undeterred]

19. I remember how bad I felt after the election last year

and there was a person who called in to Air America who said:
"Activism is the cure for soulsickness", and I think she's right.
All we have to do is our best.

[abluelady]

11. I have a lot of time

so I give a lot of time. I wish I had more money to contribute. My dream is to win a lottery of hundreds of millions of dollars and buy the country back for the neocons. :patriot:

[banana republican]

12. OTHER:

I am a retired accountant. I spend most of my time working with various non-profit organizations, the members of which are all against * & company. I don't really think of my self as an activist, but rather as an enabler. I help the clients I work with navigate the opportunities that present themselves to further their goals and serve their clients. I work with them on various tax and IRS issues.

I suppose if that makes me an activist then I am. But I don't think of myself as being one. just a citizen....

[undeterred]

13. I think thats awesome

I went to Camp Wellstone this year and was amazed how many retired people are becoming activists.

Being financially secure enough not to work, being healthy, and having a professional skill to offer puts one in a great position to move things... I'd say thats activism.

[eallen]

15. How does one become a paid activist?

And is the pay respectable?

That sounds kind of like fun.

:hippie:

[undeterred]

16. I see ads occasionally- it doesn't usually pay well

but you get to do something meaningful so the reward is intrinsic. I know there's quite a few at DU!

[fed-up]

17. Do you mean does Homeland Security have us in their database??? :)

I have worked on campaigns since I was knee high to a grasshopper.

I am going through old boxes of stuff from my mom's house and found newspaper articles from a City Council Recall (I was about 10), Stop 380 (the connector freeway from 280 to Highway 1 that was stopped), and I remember going door to door with her as she collected signatures for a few other things.

I also volunteered on the "Save San Bruno Mountain" campaign a little, walked many a precint throughout college. I volunteered against the tip tax law and Tuition Free in 83.

Then I took a few years off while my child was young. Recently, I collected sigs to stop some development, I was one of the main organizers for a failed ballot initiative against genetically engineered crops, and got signatures to stop the raising of parking meter fees which would have financed an ugly parking structure.

I have been to many protests, written, called and emailed various legislators and last week stopped the Army Recruiters from collecting personal information from MINORS.

http://www.newsreview.com/issues/chico/2005-11-03/News.asp

WoW, just realized I have done a lot of unpaid community service!!!

[LiberalPersona]

18. I am not an activist, but it's not by choice

I don't have a job, the only money I receive is SSI and therefore have no money to spend on donations and stuff.

I don't have a vehicle to reach locations designated for such things as meetings, nor is there any public transportation close enough to reach by foot.

If I can ever get a job, which I am sure will never happen thanks to Bush, I will set up my budget to include regular donations to organizations I believe in.

[undeterred]

20. A few years ago when I was unemployed

I emailed the entire Senate and the Congress about my unemployment and lack of health insurance. I wasn't really trying to be activist, I was just desperate for the extension of unemployment benefits to go through. I actually took some time to look at their websites, so it was a learning experience. I was watching the internet to see what was being voted on every day.

It didn't cost me anything, and I found out who the decent Senators were by their response. Sarbanes, Wellstone, Feingold, Clinton, and Daschle all wrote me back (and only Feingold is from my state). It was cool to get letters in the mail from Senators when I was unemployed!