Author: Cynthia Samuels

Online Politics Conference Part 2: Lots of Interesting People

The Online Politics Conference is over and the basic coverage has been excellent.  Since I’m late writing these (see yesterday’s post for why) I’m wandering through the two days reflecting on what I saw and heard – so join me.
Debra Bowen cropped Here are some of the great personalities who were part of the Politics Online Conference earlier this week.  The woman you see here, Debra Bowen, is the Secretary of State of California.  She’s also a savvy Facebook and Twitter user and completely accessible.  She speaks plain English about policy, politics and just about everything else, including the changes she hopes to make in California in online electoral reform.  Later, she showed up at a panel on the youth vote in jeans, her hair pulled back, no ceremony, no nothing.  Keep an eye on her – she’s got a lovely future I think.

Jeremy bird

This is Jeremy Bird, Harvard Divinity Grad and Deputy Director of Organizing for America – the successor to the Obama online campaign.  Shrewd, funny and knowledgeable, he echoed something we heard from all the Obama people at the conference: integrate online into every aspect and every major meeting of the campaign.  They need to be a seamless part of the team, not stuck in the basement.  Keep everyone in the loop and they take ownership.  “I”f you don’t know what it’s like on the ground, you will fail.”
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These two guys, Larry Irving and Mike McCurry, were part of a broadband panel.  Irving ran NTIA in the Clinton Administration; McCurry, of course, was Bill Clinton’s White House Press Secretary and left with his integrity intact.  “Broadband and access to broadband is an indispensable tool for every American” says McCurry.  The panel basically made a case for broadband as a tool for health care, education, economic advancement and more.  It’s not just cool to get Hulu, it’s critical to our growth, the panelists maintain.  It can also save considerable money, particularly in health care, by making the best experts available, remotely, to any doctor anywhere.

Joshua Klein

Things weren’t all nuts and bolts though.  One panel, probably, along with a riveting exploration of the youth vote, was my favorite.  It’s title:   The Visual Frontier: How the Arts, Pop Culture and Business Innovates the Way We Consume and Use Information.    So whose eyes are those to the left?  They belong to Josh Klein, a “hacker” and wise man of technology.  He and the others in this panel have a combination of wisdom, originality and articulateness that made this panel a real pleasure. 

Judith Donath Probably the other really intellectually exciting panel was How Are We Changing Because of What We Do Online?  Its star:  Judith Donath of the wonderful MIT Media Lab.  Here’s a bit of what she said:

The information world is making many things no longer ephemeral the way they once were.  We used to be a country of constant reinvention (You could move to the west, change your name, and start over.)  We’d move around, and if finished college more than five years ago, we lost our old friends and reinvented ourselves.  Now that’s coming to an end.  Things written on Usenet years ago comes back to haunt us.

Now our online identity is our most long term and long lasting in the world we are building around us.  All that we’ve clicked on is retained somewhere along with shopping records and more.   What do we do with the vast amount of the past trailing us around, and how does it affect how we see politicians and each other?

So.  Plenty to think about from this gifted and influential group – politicians and “big thinkers” alike.

Politics Online Conference: The Political Speakers – A Summary

PoliticsOnline2009logo For the past two days I've been at this Politics Online Conference here in DC.

McCaskill a It's been around for a few years now, but this one was huge and rich.  Among those who spoke:  Politicians: Senator Claire McCaskill (MO), Reps. Steve Israel (NY), Cathy Morris Rogers (WA)and Tim Ryan (OH), Secretaries of State Jennifer Brunner (OH) and Debra Bowen (CA).  Their panels were about the uses of mostly social media to maintain consistent and two-way contact with their constituents.  It's fascinating to realize that when a congressman shows up at an event, constituents "know what books I've been reading from me Facebook page" and stop by to discuss them.  Ryan had an interesting take on it:  "FDR had the radio, JFK had the television, and Obama has — you."  The confluence between the politician and the tool and the times seems to be of utmost importance.

 According to all the speakers, these kinds of interaction have radically altered their relationships with voters, and, according to McCaskill, with staff.  The communications staff has no control or prior knowledge of her tweets. As she put it, holding up her blackberry "I'm on my own with this thing."  Sometimes, apparently, they aren't thrilled with the result.

Rospars Palmer cropped The other great political panel was, to paraphrase Spencer Tracy in Pat and Mike, "small but choice."  Obama Director of Online Media Joe Rospars (on the right) nd McCain eCampaign Director Michael Palmer (on the left) discussed, and disagreed, with a focus on their work online.  There was lots of great information, both anecdotal and strategic, but sadly, the overriding element turned out to be the bitterness Palmer still feels about their defeat.  It's tough to let go after working that hard, but, as many observed, this seemed beyond that.  Even so, it was revealing to hear Rospars, as he often does, attribute their online success as much to "respect for people and treating them like adults" as to any technological parlor tricks.  It's actually consistent with the Obama folks when they're on panels or appearing in public events; they never talks about "I" did this or that.  They are all very careful to attribute their success to their team.  When complimented for that, the response is usually "but it's true!" 

To come:  A riveting youth vote panel and one on mobile campaigning, and a look at some of the cool but more esoteric events.

OH and if you're wondering why this post is so late, it's because there was no usable wireless at the Reagan Center and the damn Mac Air has no Ethernet plug!  How frustrating do you think that was?

Farewell to Judith Krug – and Thanks from All of Us (Readers, Libarians, Kids, Computer Users and Gamers — Yes, Gamers)

Judy Krug1 You’re looking at a heroine here, a tireless advocate of “freedom to read” and the First Amendment.  Her name is Judith Krug, known to many as “Judy” and a brave and wonderful woman.  As Director of the American Library Association’s Office for Intellectual Freedom since it was founded in 1967, she also founded “Banned Books Week” in 1982. That’s how I met her.

I’d done stories before about First Amendment issues and someone gave her my number.  She called to tell me that the last week of September, 1982, would be the first ALA Banned Books Week and wouldn’t the Today Show like to cover it?  Of course we would.  Look at some of the most banned books over the years – here in the US!  Surprising at best, eh?  They include Harry Potter, Huck Finn, Of Mice and Men, The Catcher in the Rye and Kaffir Boy.  Appalled by the list,  I remember starting the piece with film of the Nazi book burnings in Berlin.  Judy loved it!

In the years since 1982 we repeated the story almost every year — and every year new books joined the list.  Not always from the right, either.  Some liberal parents challenged Huckleberry Finn as racist, and the other ban efforts came from all over the place!  Harry Potter as Satanism, Native Son because it put the death penalty in dispute and the Bible preaches “an eye for an eye,” Wrinkle in Time, Understood Alice and others by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Are You There, God? It’s Me, Margaret,  The House of Spirits, Slaughterhouse-Five and Lord of the Flies.

But banned books were far from her only concern.  As the Chicago Tribute wrote:

Mrs. Krug worked directly with librarians across the country who were engaged in censorship battles. She enlisted allies from fields that are
affected by 1st Amendment attacks such as publishers and journalists,
said Robert Doyle, executive director of the Illinois Library
Association.
“She was concerned about the gamut of expression,
so that people could go to the library and encounter the full
marketplace of ideas,” Doyle said.

Beyond books was her opposition to filters on library computers and her less-noticed championing of free expression in video games.  A Game Politics piece includes this:

Judith was instrumental in the fight against video game censorship. She was a forceful advocate for Media Coalition amicus
briefs in the Indianapolis, St. Louis, Illinois, Minnesota, and
California video game cases. It would have been easy for the librarians
to say, “That’s not our battle,” but thankfully that wasn’t Judith’s
temperament.

Judith was a fierce believer in the importance of
freedom of expression to our culture and our society and was zealous
defender of the First Amendment. We all have truly benefited from her
passion.

Judy died on April 11th.  She leaves a family who will miss her, I’m sure.  But she leaves a legacy for the rest of us too, one for which we should be grateful.  Anyone who loves to read, who wants to be able to ask a librarian for a special book for a quirky kid, who wants to use the library computer to do research or read off-the-wall news stories, or who just loves to wander in the stacks or online looking for something that never occurred to them, or a special idea or book or website — we’ll miss her too.

Can You Believe We’re at Blogging Boomers 112 Already? Time Flies, Eh?

Thanks to the great Barbara Weibel, you'll find this weeks Blogging Boomers Carnival at Hole in the Donut.  She's listed everything from those puzzling moments when you and your long-time companion come up with the same thoughts at the same time, to midlife relationships to stashing unused pharmaceuticals, and a lot more.  There's not a week when the carnival isn't interesting, but this one is a really wonderful combination of ideas.

From Our House to the White House: Seders and a Happy Passover

Kosher for Passover 2
In a few hours I go "off the grid" for a combination of two days of Passover (Thursday and Friday) and Shabbat on Saturday.  Then I'm back, but gone again next Wednesday and Thursday for the final days of this labor-intensive holiday.  It really is a trip – lots of cleaning and cooking and using different dishes and not eating anything with five grains, wheat, rye, barley, oats, and spelt (except for Matzoh which has to be made from one of them.   Special mustard, vinegar and all packaged foods need special "Kosher for Passover" labels.   I have written about this in other years so this year felt kind of "last year" as wondered what to say before going silent for so long.

Then, thanks to the always-ahead-of-the-curve City Council Candidate Jill Zimon, I learned this: there will be a White House Seder!  How cool is that?  I've always felt that the Seder and its tale of redemption from slavery was a universal story; one to which anyone with either a history of enslavement or a sense of justice could respond.  And now, the first African American president, himself a symbol of freedom and, hopefully, a more just America, has seized upon this universal story as a message of openness and unity. 
Listen to the Post's account:

In his letter, Obama called the story of
Jews' ascent from slavery to freedom in the Land of Israel as "among
the most powerful stories of suffering and redemption in human
history," accompanied by rituals and symbols that indicate "the beauty of freedom and the responsibility it entails."
He also said the holiday presented a message for all humankind. "As part of a larger global community, we all must work to ensure that our brothers and sisters of every race, religion, culture and nationality are free from bondage and repression, and are able to live in peace."

As Jill tweeted this morning, I to would give anything to be there – she wants to live-blog it.  I'd just like to see it in action.  Either way, it's an extra reminder not only of the freedom we celebrate but also of the gift of messengers who remind all of us – Jews and non-Jews, of the many treasured ways to honor and preserve that freedom together, whatever our history. Chag Sameach.

 

G-L-O-R-I-A! Happy Birthday Gloria Steinem

Gloria Bunny
I have known Gloria Steinem for a very long time.   March 25th was her birthday and she is an amazing seventy-five years old!   I've admired her since my teens.  There used to be a magazine called SHOW, kind of a cross between Vanity Fair and New York Magazine.  In 1963, when I was a senior in high school, Gloria published a piece there called "I Was a Playboy Bunny."  Describing her three weeks as an "undercover" Bunny, the piece launched her career.  I remember saying something half derogatory about it — remember I was 17 — and my mother saying to me "You're just jealous."  She was right.  What a great job, what an elegant woman, offers from magazines, everything I was determined to have for myself – she'd done it.  If she could get out of Toledo, I could get out of Pittsburgh.  (I did.)

I've had my eye on her ever since and as she helped to lead all of us out of the wilderness I felt a special ownership since we  both attended Smith College.  In those years, as I became more involved in what would be called the Second Wave of Feminism, Gloria was a spearhead for most of it.  In fact, I once told a colleague of hers, a well-respected writer herself, how much I admired her.  Her response "The way you feel about me?  That's how I feel about Gloria."  

On the tenth anniversary of Ms. Magazine, which Gloria had helped to found, I produced a series for  The Today Show .  For one segment, a camera crew and I followed her on a day-long trip to Philadelphia to make a speech.  That was when I realized that her role was larger, and more personal, than I had understood. 

Here's what happened:  We got on the Metroliner in Penn Station and a woman came up to us to tell Gloria how she had changed her life.    We arrived in Philadelphia and, right in the station, another women did the same.  So it was all through the day.  At the evening event, she could barely make her way through the room as an endless stream of women approached to thank her, express admiration, just talk to her.  Through all of it, woman after woman after woman, she was unfailingly courteous and engaged.  Each was the only one she was talking to.  None was made to feel out of place or inappropriate.  I don't know about you, but that's tough for a public person to do; Gloria has done it for years.  In other words, she wasn't leading Feminism, she was being Feminism.

It's been like that ever since.  In the public eye or out, hugely famous or less famous, she's always been there to keep the focus where it belongs and carry us further toward equality, and it's always been about all of us, not her.  It's been an honor to know her, even a little bit, and to see personally that she's not just a fine leader, she's a fine person.  Happy Birthday Gloria (a little bit late). We're lucky to have you.

UPS Pulls Its Ads from O’Reilly: He Deserves It But. . .

Oreilly
I'm torn.  Really.  Nobody hates Bill O'Reilly and all he stands for more than I do.  And when he went after my former colleague Amanda Terkel by sending a producer to prey on her on her vacation, a camera alongside, I was troubled.  It's not the news gathering I was trained to do.

On one hand, it was totally unethical to follow a writer around and harass her for comments made about an anchorman.  It's bizarre and a ridiculous waste of editorial resources, especially when the world of journalism is in such economic chaos.  Chasing her down the street, peppering her with questions, when no one ever asked her for an interview she probably would have granted – it's all disgusting.

Ups_email2
On the other hand, when we push advertisers to withdraw their ads from a show, we are doing something we ourselves opposed during the time of great TV from Norman Lear to Stephen Bochco to Diane English, among others.  All in the Family, Hill Street Blues, Murphy Brown – they were among many fine, pioneering programs with a progressive bent that faced threats from major evangelical and other religious and political organizations like the Family Research Council.  Their weapon every time was a threat to advertisers to remove their ads from these and other programs, or face boycotts.  Of course there were no blogs in those days so it was tougher to organize but these people were scary and sometimes effective.  We always defended free speech.  Those shows deserved protection because they aired on licensed public airways.  O'Reilly airs on cable – people pay to watch it so maybe that makes it a bit different.

On the other hand, (I know, this is the third hand) the Amanda gambit was totally unethical behavior, designed, I suspect, as chilling effect on its own.  It raises the price for honest advocacy, exploiting the protection of the First Amendment to do so.

I guess what I'm saying is that what O'Reilly and his goons do is reprehensible; in my mind it's somewhat worse when the "victim" is a tiny woman, anything but threatening, who is on vacation.  But using the weapons that I saw as so dangerous when they were aimed at "us"  — I'm not so sure.  What do you think?

Walking in the Woods, Spring, Bruce and The Daily Show: Even Jon Stewart Couldn’t Resist

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart M – Th 11p / 10c
Bruce Springsteen – Interview
comedycentral.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

You probably saw this.  Bruce Springsteen on The Daily Show; Jon Stewart interviewing him about his music and his life with the E Street Band.  I wasn't going to write about it.  But today, as I made my way through Rock Creek Park, Sherry Darlin' booming on my iPod, I thought about what Springsteen, over all these years, has meant to me.  About giving away all our Bruce tapes when we were in Prague in 1985 and met a "behind the Iron Curtain" tour guide who told us that each sold for almost a month's pay in his part of the world, of a six-year-old in his dad's tee shirt.  As I knotted the bottom (very 80s) so it would at least not drag on the ground, he asked "Do you think Bruce wears his this way?"  Now he and his brother meet up to go to concerts together when the band tours.  He's part of our family history.

So I understand, I really do.  The music travels in our hearts, lifts us up.  And in Stewart's case, lifted him right out of New Jersey, into Manhattan… and you know the rest.  I was a little shocked to hear him talk about it on the air; (it's at the end of this video) it was the antithesis of the coolness dude he offers us most of the time.  He couldn't resist…had to say it out loud.  To offer his gratitude.  It was surprising;  moving and endearing. 

Buttercups tight cropped
 Green is comingAnyway, the other part of today, as I move toward Shabbat, is the beauty of the spring.  The park is great; walking along the creek, over the bridges and paths was a real treat.  Here's a little bit for you – some buttercups and the beginnings of green.   Shabbat Shalom.

World Water Problems, YouTube and a Great Organizing Tool

Experts tell us water will be the “new oil.”  Las Vegas, running out of water, is already paying residents to replant their lawns with desert plants to save water.  It’s getting really scary here; it’s been scary in many other countries for a long time.  In some of those countries, the situation is desperate.  Killer dysentery is rampant; babies die, children die, parents die.  And it’s not so hard to help.

Today I received an email from Ramya Raghavan, from “CitizenTube“, announcing some new tools to help deliver video messages for nonprofits.  Here’s the example she sent along – it raised $10,000 in one day.  “That’s enough to build two brand-new wells in the Central African Republic and give over 150 people clean drinking water for 20 years!” 

Ramya urges others to take a look; you can make it work for your nonprofit too.  Here’s the link.  Some days I really love the Internet.  This is one.