Feeling a Little Less Helpless
Against the Political Machine

'I spend a great deal of time walking during which I listen to a great deal of political discussion. I try to select programs that balance the red and the blue. There is much disagreement between those two primary colors, but there is also one point of agreement: Ohio is a key state in the upcoming election. Some pollsters and pundits believe Ohio voters will determine who our next president will be. "It will come down to Ohio," they say. I am not a big or important person. I often feel helpless against the political machine. But I am in Ohio and I can write. I am using this humble skill in order to promote my political inclinations and I urge you to do the same. Whether you ride the donkey or the elephant, or whether you would prefer to remain neutral and simply promote voter registration, write about it. Use whatever means you have: blogs, comments, letters, publications. This is one power we possess. If there was ever a moment in history when it could make a difference, it's right now.'
--from a note my friend Erin O'Brien recently sent to a flock of fellow writers.