Discussion about this post

User's avatar
Ann W Barnes's avatar

Thanks Margaret for going up there. I was only aware of SB45, and that only thanks to h4ml. I think they try to fly under the radar.. it's not like they want our opinion or anything.

Expand full comment
The Underdog's avatar

Hey Margaret.

Sorry to hear of your problematic experience with the public. Motivating them is always difficult. I'm particularly annoyed with the inactive public because I'm disabled (not from the shots, mind) and cannot go out. I used to try to hound my local politician at the very least when I still had my free movement.

That said, I do not recall a Substack article by yourself notifying in advance of the Indiana legislature's meet n greet. A great many people do not know how to find information, and what might be very easy for us online researchers to find, other people don't even know where to start looking.

You use what's known as a 'call to action' article. Many activist style reporting movements (Project Veritas, Rebel News) employ it. Usually theirs is to ask for money to help in specific legal fights, but they do also sometimes encourage contacting politicians or attending events, and they will notify in advance of those events.

It may also be advisable to find a 'support friend' who lives very near to you. Support friends are people who don't really know anything about the subject matter, but they're there to cheerlead you on and keep you company ('I don't know what you're doing but I fully support you in it!'), and can act as a counterweight to the pressures of being the 'only person in the room'. In-fact, there's no limit to how many you ought to bring, and a sizeable number will make the politicians think your position has support.

Remember one thing though: the lobbyists are *paid* to be there and don't have a passion for what they're doing (IE they won't have gone the extra mile and will know far less on the subject matter), you have a passion and your knowledge will easily outshine any lobbyist or paid 'expert'.

To paraphrase a saying: drag them outside and beat them with experience.

Expand full comment
27 more comments...

No posts