A Call To Action - My `Re-Elect Nobody' Sign - And The Public Reaction

If you read my sidebar you can see my politics - I detest both political parties and the system they have set up for their own power. That feeling has only gotten stronger over the years; and it perhaps is dawning on the public that we DON'T have a two party system - we have a one political system power structure - that is both sides of the same coin.

One example of why the common folk don't have power against the system is that politicians are a MAJOR SOURCE of advertising revenue on the TV - and RADIO - and NEWSPAPER - mainstream media outlets. Consequently, it would be naive to think that `punches aren't pulled' on anything that the politicians do when in office. Criticism of advertisers is generally prohibited and good business practice. And, in Georgia, with days to the primaries, the stench of the ads is nearly non-stop - especially to folks who believe we have a truly bloated government structure - that no politicians talk about dismantling.

I use that as a background because it was the non-stopness of the ads that eventually - yesterday - drove me into the streets once again. With a standard white posterboard, Walmart purchased,  with huge purple letters that said `RE-ELECT NOBODY'.  It was the same sign I used on the street just before the main election of 2008 - during the September crash of the financial system itself.

However, this time, on Jamerson Road,  in northern Cobb county in Georgia, I stood in front of my subdivision that I've lived in over 20 years (I stood about a mile away before in 2008 at a busy intersection of Jamerson Rd). And, as I say to my friends - who always say they have always wanted to do the same thing, (protest in the street with a sign) - I am doing this for you.

Frankly, I have NO idea why more folks don't take to the public route - for a quick bout of `protest' - `a putting your action where your mouth is' - as the reaction one gets these days - is truly something to behold. Indeed, within a minute, perhaps no more than 25 seconds or so, and only about the 4th car I flashed the sign to - I already had my first horn beep. Which was immediately followed by two cars with the thumbs up sign (some from inside the car and some put well up into the air outside of the window).

Only a minute had passed, perhaps less. I was charged. And, I decided to count those `recognitions' of my protest efforts. (Having done this on a busier interesection in 2008 - I knew about what to expect - but this was certainly a MUCH STRONGER public reaction than in 2008.)

And, before I reveal the number - how many folks do you think would do something in a positive manner in ONE hour? 25? 35? 55? Now, I assumed when I walked out that the response would be less than my sign got  in 2008 - when I estimated the response in an hour, at a busier intersection, to be about 75 `honks-thumbs up' reactions. Indeed, in 2008, not only was it an intersection (as opposed to a two way road) - I was at a red light and it gave many folks the chance to see the sign fully while waiting for the light to change.

But, the reactions and numbers started to add up - and it was from citizens who were driving all types of vehicles - and from what I could see - both sexes, all races, and all age groups (that said, some had a better index in this number). Indeed, in that hour I had one person turn around and pull over to speak with me - and another stop cold in the street (no traffic coming) and spoke with me.

Many folks did more than honk, or give a thumbs up - some yelled out their windows `hell ya' - `absolutely' `right on' and others like `F ya', etc.

I am NOT pulling your leg.

So, have you come up with a number yet (remember, I can only show ONE side of traffic my sign at a time - missing many opportunities)? How many `recognitions' would it take for YOU to go out and do the same thing?

What IF people stood outside of subdivisions thruout America with RE-ELECT NOBODY signs? Do you think the F'ing politicians might get the faintest wiff of discontent with the way they have done things? Indeed, I wonder how many - if any - politicians may have passed my sign? What if politicians had to pass signs like this daily? Would it really be that hard to take just an hour and see what happens if you stand up for an opinion?

So, one last time - how many honks would it take to make you think it is worth your time?

Would 102 do?






(I estimate that 400-500 folks had an opportunity to see the sign and that about half that number actually read it. I actually bet, that it takes a moment to sink in to some folks and that they `wished' they honked - and I bet that if I did it again - that repeaters in such a manner would beep and increase the numbers.)

Thanks for visiting - please leave a comment or better yet - make your own sign. I have more strong opinions on this blog too - look around - http://realheavypolitics.blogspot.com/ .