I'm burned out. Help me prioritize

[katinmn]

I don't think I'm alone in this. I'm been devoting half my time (sometimes more) as an activist for months and months and I'm tired. In the last six months I've helped start two election reform groups (one which we drove into the ditch but we'll be back on the road again soon). I've helped organize and promote peace rallies, election fraud rallies and a protect the filibuster rally. I lead an outreach committee with a political action group.

I went to the national media reform conference last weekend and I came away with lots of exciting ideas for local efforts that could make a difference. But I can't do it all and practice a healthy lifestyle, parent a teenager, and bring in money, too.

Of these issues which do you think is the single most important? Can they somehow be combined? I seriously can't think any more. I need to take a walk. Please vote.

[Crazy Guggenheim]

1. After you have taken a week or two vacation, ahem .........

I'd have the war as a priority.

[LynzM]

2. Election reform

Until the people can know they are truly choosing their leaders, the war maching can keep rumbling along....

[katinmn]

5. And a media that would be our unfiltered window on the world

would be nice, too.

[ikojo]

3. I think the war will end more quickly if we concentrate on

media reform. Get the media to report what is really going on and not act as tape recorders for the * administration then maybe those against the war will be heard and seen.

[unhappycamper]

4. Class of 68-69, 70-71 here.

War is bad juju. Maimed people are not good. Psychologically fucked-up people are not good. Fucked up families are not good. Homeless vets are not good. (I'm sure there's more.......)

[katinmn]

7. Of course it is. I'm sad to say that Americans seem able to

ignore it except for the same ones that have been out screaming for the past two years. The media likes to downplay or even hide the effects of war and that makes it easy to forget we're even in a war.

What war? Who's talking about it on the news right now?

[unhappycamper]

8. I sent this letter out to most folks in my address book this Sunday:

<snip>
I was catching up on my reading this morning & one of
the first places I check is
http://icasualties.org/oif/

In case you are wondering, 1,622 of our soldiers have
been killed in Iraq. That means AT LEAST 1,622
families have gone through the agony of a daughter,
son, husband, wife, mother or father wrenched from
their lives. In May 2005, we are averaging 2.71 deaths
per day.

In Afghanistan, 182 of our soldiers have died since
inception of that war.

What amazes me is there is no outrage, no sadness.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm under the impression
we should put a yellow ribbon magnetic sticker on the
car and go shopping.

You do not understand the price our soldiers are being
asked to pay if you ignore the 'unpleasantness.' Take
a few moments to honor our soldiers by viewing their
sacrifices.

It took a Freedom Of Information Act to pry these
pictures out of our government:
http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/coffin_photos/dover/gallery.htm
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB152/index.htm

The following URL shows a few of our 12,000 wounded
and maimed soldiers. CAUTION- contains some VERY
graphic pictures:
http://www.thememoryhole.org/war/wounded/gallery.htm

I don't think an oil war is worth this much pain.

[katinmn]

9. that's a very moving message. Did you get any responses?

I need to send something out with those images, too.

[unhappycamper]

10. 3 out of 35

2 said "that's terrible"

1 forwarded to all her email addresses. she called me & said "they all think it's terrible & so do all of their friends."

Who the fuck do we need to send this info to? This almost seems like an echo chamber.. . . .

32 people did not know how to respond or just deleted the message. The point is, THESE ARE MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS. -- when was the last time we have have this sort of disconnect between Americans?

[katinmn]

11. I've had the same experience. I think some of them may

be blocking my emails, although I consciously try not to overdo it.

I don't know what will capture their attention.

How can they not be as sad and depressed and outraged at what is happening to this country?

[unhappycamper]

12. I don't have a clue. War is seriously depressing when you see

the pictures.

It is even more depressing if you are:

a) in the pictures.
b) living with a family member who is now disabled.
c) have a missing family member. (These are the totally fucked up people who disappear under the radar screen.)

[leftofthedial]

6. these are all fronts on the class war

we need to reel in and tame out-of-control capitalism.