Posted on 02/15/2009 2:52:31 PM PST by Jim Robinson
A few weeks ago, I posted a thread asking how many of you would be interested in holding a centralized FReeper meeting somewhere in the middle of the country, possibly on an airline hub so a maximum number of FReepers could attend. Lots of people sounded interested, but only if it were held closer to home and preferably within driving distance.
Ok, if one big central meeting is not feasible, I posted another thread asking about regional meetings. Sounds like a lot more people are interested in this, but everyone's asking when one will be scheduled in their area. Well, folks, please do not wait on me to schedule your FReepmeet.
I would like to explore ideas for taking our country back from the Marxists. I would like to see us rebuild our chapters and networking systems, only stronger than ever. I think we need to form groups or chapters in every congressional district in the country. In fact, right down to the county and city level. We need to form groups of people who can work together to recruit and penetrate the local political organizations at the district and state levels and right on through to national politics.
We need strength in numbers, ideas, candidates, funding and get out the vote efforts. We'll need homegrown networking in case Obama reinstates the fairness doctrine and neuters talk radio and possibly even the Internet.
I think we need to organize in every city, town or community where we can put together a group of ten or more FReepers. The local groups can work with district or regional groups and tie into state groups. We need to penetrate into Republican politics at every level. We need to ensure that the very best CONSERVATIVE candidates are nurtured, recruited, supported and elected at the city, county, state and federal levels.
We need to get to know each other personally. Local networking is the key. Meet and know your local FReeper allies. Exchange phone numbers and email addresses. Build websites and mailing lists. Penetrate into other conservative or political groups. Educate and recruit. We take it back one assembly district, one city, one county, one state at a time. No, belay that. We do it simultaneously in each and every assembly district, city, county, congressional district and state in the entire country!
There is nothing stopping us from getting started today!
If not us, who? If not now, when?
Ok, getting started. I've reviewed where our hits are coming from and not surprisingly the largest numbers come from California, Texas, Florida and New York. I think for sure we should have regional conventions in these areas, and in just about any populous area where we can get a hundred or more FReepers to meet. There's no reason we shouldn't have meetings in Chicago, St Louis, Kansas City, Denver, Seattle, Atlanta, New Orleans, Las Vegas, etc, just to name a few cities that were suggested on prior threads. Also, we can't forget Alaska and Hawaii! Also, in any local community where we can get ten to twenty-five FReepers to attend.
Any group in any state, region, city or community can organize and schedule a meeting. No need to wait on anyone to get started. In fact some states or regions may need more than one. For example, I can easily see regional conventions being necessary in Northern and Southern California and two or more in Texas and Florida.
I think we can submit and debate ideas on how best to accomplish our goals, how to organize, whether or not we should form a PAC or a 527, how to advance our best ideas and people, etc., whether or not a national convention would be helpful, even selecting delegates for a national convention, but for sure just to start building a network of conservatives on the ground.
With this in mind, would like to start entertaining serious proposals for possible locations and dates for Northern and Southern California. Also will need volunteers to help organize and coordinate our activities.
And hopefully, other states and regions will follow suit.
By the way, I'd like to attend as many of these events as I possibly can, so hopefully, they will not all be scheduled on the same weekend. Hoping we form many chapters and hold dozens of meetings and as many FReepers as possible attend one or more!
Y'all are about the most call to action folks around... and y'all have pretty impressive ping lists, too! Those phone calls, faxes, emails aren't working... they aren't listening. Committee of Correspondence planning meeting.
Anybody know smoke signal?
Details, details, can't make any commitment w/o details. In other words, I don't want to have to help organize it, as I do enough of that at home ;-)
Maybe we also need to start our own planning thread instead of keeping it within this main one. What do you guys think?I think that would be good if we can round up enough people. I'm still trying to make contacts.
I'm in!
Didn't ask for a commitment yet.
The question was do you have any interest.
I wouldn't expect volunteers to help organize it until we knew that enough people had expressed interest.
Thank YOU !! :^D
Humidston, I gave it a try about 8 years ago remember. My efforts where unappreciated. I also have too much on my plate to do that again.
Count me in. I'm in west central Ohio, but could easily get to Columbus or Cincinnati.
Keep me in the loop.
That's great Star! OK, by my count so far we have these 6. It's a start. Let's keep recruiting. :)
That’s great! Welcome aboard StarCMC!
I posted the following announcement on the Missouri board. Randomhero, could you post something similar on your IL board?
Call to action: Regional FReeper Conventions
Attention MO & IL FReepers!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2186359/posts?page=203#203
Please read this thread and post if you are interested in participating in a FReepmeet or other events in this area. We have 6 signed on so far. We need MORE to work to take back our communities and states from the Marxists.
Pinging some MO friends!
Ping to join
Perhaps we should start a separate thread for MO?
Sounds like a good idea to me. I am glad to see more FReepers who are interested!
I'm not sure how to phrase the mission, but I would certainly support such a thread. Jen suggested a MO thread a little earlier, so I'm in. :)
Okay, I’m pinging a bunch of people who’ve posted on the FR Alabama board (at least those who I’m relatively sure are in the Greater Birmingham Area/North Alabama. This is in regards to the little informal meeting that some of you may have seen blared daily across the Alabama board.
Done of my own volition to get the ball rolling, it was just going to be a small get-together of sorts at the Lakeshore Books-A-Million. Bigger meetings, more organization...that sort of thing can come later. Right now, I’m just putting out feelers of sorts to try and ‘corral’ people into getting things going.
Anyhow, about three people showed up today (which is just fine for the first time around). Bizzy Bugz was first, followed by BudgieRamone. We just introduced ourselves and spoke casually about various issues for a half hour, much of it revolving around historical parallels, our occupations, the freedoms of our parents’ days, and the porkulus bill. Though, as BudgieRamone and Bizzy Bugz will attest to, there were a few tense moments where I saw one of my history professors no more than 20-30 feet away at times, checking out books on the display shelves near the front of the store. Given that this is a professor who often walked into class with a copy of ‘The New Republic’ in his arms (though he mercifully kept his lectures politically neutral), I mentally wondered if he would end up walking to our table and asking me some questions about the people I was meeting with.
Perhaps a bit paranoid of me, but then again, my next thought after that was whether or not he would begin regretting writing the letter of recommendation I asked for so I could enter graduate school...so yeah, some justified paranoia!
Fortunately, nothing came of that.
Anyways, Bizzy Bugz left; about two minutes after she left, TweetEBird007 arrived. BudgieRamone had to vacate, leaving me to talk alone with TweetEBird007. We did a round of introductions, him mentioning his kinfolk, history, and some military-related matters. It was around 5:05 PM where we both decided to end the ‘meeting’, and return home for the day.
All in all, a productive day. Ya’ll can Freepmail BudgieRamone, Bizzy Bugz, and TweetEBird007 for confirmation that this actually happened (because I was somewhat aware that the idea of following the directions of some random dude on the Internet would ring people’s “Hmm...” alarms these days; hence why I said it was to be an informal meeting at 4:00 PM at a Books-A-Million in a rather populated shopping plaza). However, given issues regarding the Birmingham rush hour and the fact that a lot of people are still working around 4:00 PM, I posited the following idea for the next meeting:
Somewhere in Hoover, near the Riverchase Galleria: next Friday at around 7:00 PM, where we can all meet for a FReeper dinner meeting (I find it easier to get acquainted with people over a hot meal). Something a bit more formal, but I’m thinking it would be at a restaurant that’s not too expensive...maybe a place like Olive Garden.
Or maybe even the Ruby Tuesday that’s located right at the entrance of the Galleria?
http://www.riverchasegalleria.com/html/AttractionDetail.asp?aid=1375
Ruby Tuesday: Somewhat less expensive than the other restaurants, yet still formal enough for an actual meeting. And the food’s pretty good too.
How about that? Friday, 7:30 PM. Would like to have more people show up this time around; if all goes well, we could get something started regarding a North Alabama FR Chapter (at least within an official sense).
If anybody is definitely going, please let me know so I can have good idea of what kind of table I’ll need to reserve.
Great! Sounds like you’re off to a good start!
I am in NoCal also (Santa Rosa, an hour north of SF) and agree that Sacramento is actually easier to get to for NoCal members than San Jose (if you are driving, which many people would be — I guess it doesn’t matter if you are going to fly in). Also Sacramento has symbolism, as our state’s capitol.
So glad you are getting this ball rolling, JimRob! We need to stand up on our hind legs and be counted! And I think a PAC is a terrific idea.
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