HUMBLE PIE

I'll get to the Humble Pie part of this post in a bit, but first a little background, which will make this a long post, but hang in there...

If you follow me on Facebook you've seen my sometimes screaming, crying, berating, but mostly pleading calls for action on various issues stemming from "resistance" to the current White House Administration.  One of these issues, close to my heart, mind, and spirit, is dealing with the very real and immediate threat of climate change and the attendant realities we all face, and will for generations, unless we seriously address what is happening.

The current administration are mostly "climate deniers" who have buried their heads in polluted sand and think the solid and unquestionable science  around this topic is stupid and alarmist.  The EPA chief has said he wants to dismantle the EPA and has embroiled himself in dozens of scandals while in his position all the while making good on his promise.  The Interior Secretary is selling off public lands and allowing the killing of wolves and bears in their dens with pups and cubs, and allowing shooting caribou from the air as they try to swim to safety.  The President has pulled the US from the Paris Climate Accords, something the previous administration worked mightily to help create in an alliance with world leaders to address climate change.

So...some states, including mine, have decided we need to take action locally.  Last year a bill was introduced into the Washington State legislature to place a fee on carbon polluters with the money going into a designated fund to address the effects of this pollution, to provide research, development, and implementation of alternative clean energy sources, to offer job retraining for those displaced from fossil fuel dependent jobs, to mitigate the health and environmental effects of pollution on communities most affected -- those who live near factories and refineries -- generally lower income and/or people of color.

We went to the State Capitol twice to lobby for this.  The bill never made it out of committee for a vote, in spite of strong support by our governor.

So...Washington has a citizen's initiative process that allows for issues not addressed in the legislature to be taken directly to the people in a ballot referendum upon which we can vote, by-passing the legislature all together.  All it takes is for a referendum to be drafted, co-sponsored, funded, approved, and sufficient signatures gathered, based on a percentage of the number of votes cast in the previous election.

Initiative 1631, backed by a broad coalition of environmental, business, housing, labor, faith, and social justice organizations, is the Clean Air/Clean Water initiative for which we are now collecting signatures.  We need 259,622 registered voters to sign by July 6.  The recommendation is to gather a cushion of over 300,000 to allow for non-valid signatures.   The official kick-off was May 6, although signatures were starting to be gathered in late April, statewide.  By last week, about half the number needed were gathered by volunteers.  Impressive.  But not enough with only a month to go.

Now the paid signature gathers have joined in.  This is common practice, but one that is costly to citizens' referendum campaigns.  Paid gathers get from $3.00 to $15.00 per signature!  They typically stand outside events and stores with multiple referendums in hand, gathering signatures on each form.  (Washington currently also has Universal Health Care and Weapons Safety measures seriously trying to make the ballot, a dozen or more others that won't make it.)

This may give you an idea of how difficult it is to work this kind of campaign, and costly in terms of money (all based on donations!), time, and energy (all based on volunteers until the paid folks flock in.)  Hub has been at the center of our county action from the beginning, with others locally.  Last fall he signed on as a Climate Justice Steward, meaning he would take leadership in educating groups, recruiting and organizing other signature gatherers, as well as making that commitment himself.  We have hosted meetings and trainings at our home and he has attended the same elsewhere.  I have been his constant cheerleader and have tried my best to enlist help from others as well.

So far, Hub has personally, all by himself, collected over 1800 signatures.  He got a T-shirt after 500, so he looks even more official when he's out there working the crowds at events or going car to car in the ferry lines. (We have a whole cross-sound "highway" of large vehicle ferries in the Puget Sound area.)  I'm so impressed by his commitment -- every weekend for hours and hours.

(We're getting to the Humble Pie.  Thanks for staying with me...)

My passion is for registering voters and making sure people vote.  I've been working with and being trained by an organization called Common Purpose to do just that, teaming up with other organizations at various locations locally and across the country in key states.

This past weekend, Hub and I went to Spokane to register voters and collect 1631 signatures at the big PRIDE festival there.  I had envisioned being in the beautiful riverside park with a big group of activists, under sunny skies and 70+ degree balmy temps, sitting at a table festooned with red, white, and blue bunting enticing the unregistered to register.  I would venture into the crowd and talk to folks about registering.  I would get so many people registered just by the power of my magnetic personality and enthusiastic patriotic patter, that I'd probably create the Blue Wave we are hoping for all by myself!  As my friend told me, I must have envisioned myself as a modern day suffragette -- part of a movement I so admire.

But no.  As luck would have it, the weather turned overnight and Saturday saw a steady rain and low 50's temps.  Not one other person from Common Purpose was there when we arrived, and there was no table for us to use.  We met up with the 1631 folks, who Hub knew and was the reason he was there anyway.  I ended up with two petitions, a bunch of info sheets, some "I Signed" stickers in hand, a 1631 Clean Air Clean Energy sign hung around my neck.  I was told to work the crowd.  Huh???  This was not the stuff of my dreams.  I tucked my Voter Reg forms in with the other stuff and off I went.  Grumpy.  Wet.  Sullen.  Disappointed.  Pissed.  Gloomy.  Fighting nausea.  (I'd had a horrible migraine the previous day).  You get the picture.  But I can turn it on, slap on a happy face, and give it the enthusiastic try when I so choose.  So I did.

I didn't foresee so many people rejecting my good-natured efforts.  Too young to sign, not interested, from out of state, in a hurry, "maybe later", or just plain rude.  Plus, I quickly realized how hard it is for me to go up to strangers, interrupting their conversations, quiet rumination, or tasks, and ask them to sign.  Occasionally I ran into Hub who was stopping people left and right, engaging them in jolly conversation, being Mr. Extrovert.  He was possessed by a persona so unlike himself,  a personality I barely recognized, and he seemed to be having fun!  That just made me feel even worse for my obvious failings.

I ended up after only two hours of an eight hour commitment taking refuge under a bridge with a couple of other homeless people, near the port-a-potties, sulking.  Hub found me and tried to offer encouragement, but I was soon in tears, embarrassed and forlorn.  In spite of my constant haranguing of others to "get involved" and "do something", here I was flunking Citizen Activism 101 and trying not to throw up.  I had collected five signatures and registered one voter (in addition to the 30 or so signatures from friends, family, and neighbors I got at home and one other registered voter.)

I quit.  Right then and there.  I quit.  I headed back to the Mall parking garage and mostly sat in the car for the next six hours.  For the first three I harangued myself for being a fraud and a failure.  For the next three I read, crocheted, scanned Facebook, went into the mall to use the restroom and walk around a bit.  I tried to eat but could only manage a few crackers.

Hub finally showed up at 6:30 (after collecting 210 signatures in his 8 hours) and we started the five hour drive home.  As I drove I had a tantrum of tears and self-recrimination over my terrible showing.  I swore never to attend another training or make another commitment.  I stated that I hate Trump but I cannot stop him.  I have no right to try to rally anyone to do anything and I'd have been better off like most people I know and just ignore this whole freaking debacle and pretend like our country isn't falling apart.

Hub listened, because he knows after 50 years together to not try to "fix" me.  But eventually I calmed down and he did quietly point out that my skill set may not be in signature gathering.  It may be demonstrated in many other ways equally potent.  If we all do something, change will happen to the good.

And by Sunday morning I was back to contacting legislators and planning on attending a climate justice speaker's bureau training next week.  I can talk publicly with ease.  I can write.  I can use my voice on social media.  I can host events in my home.  I can cheerlead and support others in meaningful ways.

I ate a huge hunk of Humble Pie on Saturday, allowing me to find compassion for those who don't do what is not comfortable for them.  It tasted yucky but was good for me, I suppose.

Let's all just agree to take the actions we can, make meaningful commitments to activism that fall within at least a portion of our comfort zone, and be gentle with each other -- and ourselves -- in the process.  As one of my Facebook friends said to me in encouragement.. "You got this!"

At least that's the (long-winded) view from here...©