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What you need to know to be a citizen activist (Advice specific to Washington's ReVote Rally)
OregonLive / Associated Press ^ | January 9, 2005

Posted on 01/09/2005 11:07:56 PM PST by Stoat

What you need to know to be a citizen activist

1/9/2005, 11:43 a.m. PT

The Associated Press

   

(AP) — Making your voice heard in Olympia isn't as hard as you might think. Here's some practical advice for getting started:

GETTING THERE: From Interstate 5, take exit 105 (for southbound travelers, follow signs for exit 105A). Merge onto 14th street, which goes through a short tunnel and feeds directly onto the Capitol Campus. Take the first left and another immediate left into the visitors' center parking lot.

PARKING: At the vistors' center, limited parking is available for 50 cents an hour. More pay parking is located along North and South Diagonal streets on the Capitol Campus; in the General Administration garage (upper level) on the corner of 11th Avenue and Columbia street; in the Natural Resources parking lot off Washington Street; at the satellite visitor lot at Jefferson Street and 16th Avenue (served by a free shuttle on weekdays); and along Deschutes Parkway along Capitol Lake, served by Intercity Transit buses every half-hour. The fare is $.75 for a single ride and $1.50 for an all-day pass.

Free two-hour parking on the streets is possible but hard to find when the Legislature is in session, and the City of Olympia patrols aggressively.

FOOD: A full-service cafeteria serves breakfast and lunch in the Pritchard Building (formerly the state library), located just south of the Capitol Building. There's also a deli in the Capitol Building. Both can get quite crowded during session, so if you're in a hurry you might want to brown-bag it.

COMMITTEE HEARINGS: House hearings are held in the O'Brien Building and Senate hearings are in the Cherberg Building. Calendars are available online at www.leg.wa.gov.

For hot-button issues, arrive early because seating might be limited. When you sign in, indicate whether you want to testify. (Note that while it's called "testifying," speaking at a committee hearing is not the same as testifying in court — although truthfulness is certainly appreciated.)

Be prepared to limit your testimony to three minutes. You might even want to prepare a 60-second version in case time gets tight. Maybe you'll get more time, but probably not. (Hearings are 90 minutes long, and sometimes hundreds of people want to speak.) If you have more to say, write it up and make enough copies for all the legislators on the committee. Always start by saying your name and where you're from.

MORE TIPS: Nancy Amidei directs the Civic Engagement Project at the University of Washington. Here are her tips for talking to legislators, whether one-on-one or at a hearing:

•Tell them your name and where you live, and your legislative district if you know it.

•If you are part of a group concerned about an issue, such as a church congregation or professional organization, tell them the group and about how many people are in it.

•In one phrase or sentence, tell them what you're concerned about. (For example, "I want public schools to have smaller class sizes.")

•Tell them directly what you want them to do about it. Do you want them to sponsor a bill? Vote for or against a bill? Be as specific as possible.

•Give them something in writing with your name and contact information. It could be a piece of notepad paper, a brochure from your organization or a background paper. This gives them something concrete to file so that when your issue comes up again, they'll remember the conversation.

MORE INFORMATION:

Legislative hot line: 800-562-6000.

Visitor information: 360-586-3460.

Legislature's Web site: http://www.leg.wa.gov

State Capitol Visitor Services: http://www.ga.wa.gov/visitor/index.html



TOPICS: Activism/Chapters; Announcements; Crime/Corruption; Government; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: dinorossi; orangerevolution; revote; revoterally; washington
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1 posted on 01/09/2005 11:07:57 PM PST by Stoat
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To: Stoat

Time for an Orange Revolution in WA
.


2 posted on 01/09/2005 11:12:32 PM PST by sinanju
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To: CyberCowboy777

Ping, please.


3 posted on 01/09/2005 11:21:26 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Christine Fraudoire is not my governoire.)
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To: sinanju

I've been out of touch. Is anything new happening in this race since they named "her" the winner?


4 posted on 01/09/2005 11:22:27 PM PST by CAluvdubya (From the RED part of California)
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To: CAluvdubya
Lots has been happening. You should go here to get the latest: SoundPolitics
5 posted on 01/09/2005 11:24:43 PM PST by Zarro
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To: Zarro

Thanks for the info


6 posted on 01/09/2005 11:31:14 PM PST by CAluvdubya (From the RED part of California)
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet

I like your tagline. I'm going to add one to mine. Do they stick for later posts?


7 posted on 01/09/2005 11:31:31 PM PST by Zarro (We Support Governor Rossi)
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To: Zarro

Is Rossi going to contest after "she" is sworn in?


8 posted on 01/09/2005 11:39:24 PM PST by CAluvdubya (From the RED part of California)
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To: Zarro

It will be the same on every post until you change it.


9 posted on 01/09/2005 11:40:06 PM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Christine Fraudoire is not my governoire.)
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To: CAluvdubya

YES, YES AND YES YOU BETCHA!


10 posted on 01/09/2005 11:54:23 PM PST by Josef1235 (Great blog http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com - worth a visit!)
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To: CAluvdubya

There's also http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com which is a pro-Rossifarian blog, too.


11 posted on 01/09/2005 11:55:08 PM PST by Josef1235 (Great blog http://josef-a-k.blogspot.com - worth a visit!)
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To: Josef1235

Yipppeeee! I'm so glad he is not going to just let this criminal activity go. I am so sick of the dims crying fraud when they are the ones who know all about it!


12 posted on 01/09/2005 11:56:38 PM PST by CAluvdubya (From the RED part of California)
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet

13 posted on 01/10/2005 12:53:56 AM PST by bellevuesbest
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To: bellevuesbest
Nice art work, job well done... makes a VERY STRONG point.
14 posted on 01/10/2005 7:55:01 AM PST by Phyto Chems (Convert or DIE is there call --- but I will remember Nick Berg & now Paul Johnson and .....)
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To: bellevuesbest

Did you do that? It's great! I wonder if it would get through the postal system if you put a stamp on it and mailed it. : )


15 posted on 01/10/2005 8:38:06 AM PST by DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet (Christine Fraudoire is not my governoire.)
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To: CyberCowboy777

WA ping request


16 posted on 01/10/2005 8:44:26 AM PST by sionnsar († trad-anglican.faithweb.com † || Iran Azadi || www.revotewa.com -- No governor from THIS vote!!)
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To: DaughterOfAnIwoJimaVet

No, no. I should have attributed it. It was created by Arunas Banionis and posted on Sound Politics.

http://soundpolitics.com/


17 posted on 01/10/2005 9:22:34 AM PST by bellevuesbest
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To: bellas_sister

Send to Kathy


18 posted on 01/10/2005 11:10:06 AM PST by bellas_sister
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To: Stoat

What Can One Person Do?

Citizens Coalition for Responsible Media, a Free Republic Network chapter, came in to existence on January 24, 2001. Since that time, there have been numerous excellent suggestions regarding "what to do?" about media bias. They range from BIG (buy a television station, start our own newspaper) to small, individual acts (write a letter).

Taking CCRM member suggestions of things individuals can do to combat media bias, they form what amounts to an "Activist Handbook", a tool that might be helpful to the wider public who share our concerns about media bias.

Educate yourself and stay current on media bias news:


Visit Media Research Center website and read their "How to Identify Liberal Media Bias" and Media Bias Basics.
Subscribe to Media Research Center's "Cyber Alerts" to monitor media bias.
Subscribe to the email AIM Report.

Complain to the media!


Contact the offending media pointing out/complaining about bias;
Write "letters to the editor" raising the issue of media bias;
Write/FAX letters to commercial sponsors of media, either in support or protest;
Write letters of support/appreciation when media provides fair and balanced coverage.
Get to know the Editor and News Editors of your local newspaper; call them to point out bias, and write "Letters to the Editor" frequently - persistant pressure from squeaky wheels can bring about changes.
When you identify bias and write a letter, post the details on yahoo and other internet message boards, the CCRM and/or FR forum encouraging others to also write letters.
Monitor your local radio stations, as well as local television, for bias. Telephone them with your observations of bias in local reporting; and be sure to follow up with a letter or email that reiterates your phone call (according to the "FCC Handbook", stations are required to maintain a "public inspection file", and as part of that file, they must retain all written comments and suggestions - including email - received from the public regarding their operation for at least three years.)
When writing to the network television stations, be sure to cc your local affiliate (see FCC regulations, above).
Email articles from FreeRepublic.com, CNS and other conservative news sources to your friends and aquaintances, and promote more balanced news sources, whether it be Fox News Channel on TV or CNS.com on the internet.

Recruit others to our cause/educate the public about media bias:


Create and distribute business cards promoting FreeRepublic.com/media bias messages (see Business Card Thread on Free Republic.
Distribute flyers (putting them in magazines in waiting rooms, libraries, public bulletin boards).
Display bumper stickers (order here at FreeRepublic.com, "FR Stuff").
Use tag-lines, such as "Avoid Media Spin... FreeRepublic.com", whenever you post anywhere about anything, including email signatures.
"Freep the Internet": Interjecting on internet forums, message boards, and FreeRepublic.com that their "pet causes are being LOST almost solely because of the constant action of the STATE MEDIA ORGANS."
Join Yahoo e-Groups where you can spread the word on message boards and send out "alerts" on media bias news pertinent to the groups you join.
Have a rubber stamp with media bias slogan made, and use it on all outgoing mail to spread the message.
If your cable company does not carry the Fox News Channel, write them, call them, fax them, demanding they add it to their "basic cable" lineup!
"Freep" C-Span's "Washington Journal" with telephone calls pointing out media bias (weekdays, 7am-8am ET).
Take every opportunity possible to phone in to your local radio talk shows spreading the media bias message; and don't forget, many radio stations also have message boards you can post to!
Contact other local letters-writers: One CCRM member wrote, "One of my fun specialties is to read the letters-ot-the-editor. When I see a letter from someone who obviously has conservative leanings, I try to find the name and addy in the phone book. I then write a note of congrats to the writer and enclose my FreeRepublic.com card. Happy to say that in the past year, I have picked up two freepers and lurkers in this manner. We are also on each others emailing lists. A year ago we were total strangers! This is an idea for working on the local level - and getting a sense of satisfaction for accomplishing something!"
Encourage your friends, acquaintances and co-workers to do all of the above.
Encourage "right-minded" young people to seek careers in journalism, especially at schools where leftist drivel isn't a state religion.

Support CCRM efforts:


Participate in CCRM projects, such as Operation RatherNOT.
Participate in CCRM "Outrage of the Week" (bookmark website, new Outrage will be posted each Monday).
Keep the media bias issue on the front burner, so to speak, on FreeRepublic.com and other internet boards. Post relevant media bias articles to the FR forum. Flag "CCRM" to media bias threads; search FR using "to: CCRM" to find and contribute to the discussions on media bias threads.

We also need to REMEMBER, to recall the anger and despair, the helplessness and resolve we felt in November and December 2000. Never again, we vowed. Complacency must not be allowed to eat away at the absolute necessity to succeed.





- Prepared by the CCRM Project Support Team, 08/13/2001


For more Http://www.fairpress.org


19 posted on 01/10/2005 11:14:02 AM PST by bert (Don't Panic.....)
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To: 007Dawg; 12.7mm; 11B3; 123easy; 1911A1; 4woodenboats; 506trooper; 7mmMag@LeftCoast; A44MAGNUT; ...
Washington State Ping List

This is all known Washington State FReepers and interested parties as of 12/31/04 - 347 FReepers

If you want on or off this ping list Freepmail me.

ReVote WA

20 posted on 01/10/2005 12:31:00 PM PST by CyberCowboy777 (Well.... I'll be)
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