“You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view […] until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Atticus Finch. Rest in peace Harper Lee.
Hoppin’ down the Bernie Trail is an occasional blog documenting what I see and hear as I volunteer for the Sanders Campaign in Memphis. My goal is to tell a little of the story of a grassroots campaign from the inside out. – Scott Sines
Week One:
I read a story today (2-19) about grassroots activism that was deeply colored with feel good Americana. That’s all good it really is. But many people don’t know how much hard work grassroots activism takes. During the last week the paid campaign staff spent hours in a largely empty office greeting the occasional visitor and recruiting, organizing, planning logistics and training the volunteers, as well as pitching in themselves.
They also tend the many details of a start-up, temporary office … staplers, notepads, coffee, etc. In the middle of it all you hear hopeful talk about taking Shelby County and then Tennessee, or at least picking up a good number of delegates, and other grander national political strategies.
Oh, but they can’t be quoted or agree to story requests. That message is controlled from Vermont.
So far, I’ve attended the New Hampshire Debate party, the opening of the campaign office and done some phone banking. I’ll be back with the deets of my phone banking soon.
