How Politically Active Are You?

[KissingSunlight]

I was watching a political ad that was telling people to "call their senator" about a certain piece of legislature. I realized. I have never done that in my life. I try to be reasonably knowledgeable about politics and current events. I have never called a politician, protest, volunteer, collect signatures, or anything else that was politically active.

I am wondering if anyone is politically active. What do you do for your cause? Why do you do it? How much time does it take up in your life?

 

[balladbird]

Not very. Don't get me wrong, I have intensely strong political views,as most people likely do, but outside of voting and donating a set percentage of my income to charities I support, I don't really do much with them

Discussing politics is pointless, online and offline alike. No one is as open-minded about the subject as some are fond of pretending they are, and unless you have the kind of disposition that lets you get an outrage high out of confronting your ideological opponents all you'll gain from arguing is a headache.

being a participant in the process, like, trying to lobby or write your senator, is a similar matter. I will freely admit that this is just me being jaded, but I've never felt the urge to try doing this, based on the knowledge that most senator's stances are for sale, and there are buyers with much deeper pockets than I have. Unlike political arguments, this isn't something I've observed directly, though, so it's perfectly possible that I'm just buying into a doom and gloom outlook based on what I hear.

 

[WolfThomas]

I vote. But that's mandatory (or at least attendance is) in Australia.

I did email quite often my local state and federal representatives, as well the attorney generals, police ministers, premiur etc over the recent Adler A110 lever action shotgun issue.

 

[Zhukov]

I vote. I occasionally stand around feeling bored at protests.

 

[Fiz_The_Toaster]

Not very I'm afraid.

I mean, I vote, and I do try to stay informed on topics and events when they crop up. I talk about politics with people I work and hang out with, but I mainly want to listen and think over things rather than just spout my opinion.

Outside of that? No. I'm fairly lazy about doing things like protesting and what have you. Not that I don't care, it's just I don't really care for crowds, and I don't really have a high opinion on petitions so I tend to not sign them.

 

[Diablo2000]

There is a new president in Brazil (The country where I live), since the elected one was forced to step down and I only learned of that fact a month later.
So my politics position is "Blissful Ignorance", I only even bother to vote because is mandatory.

 

[Dragonlayer]

I grumble at the news and angrily rant about my flawless solutions to world problems, but that's about it.

 

[Wintermute_v1legacy]

I vote. I occasionally stand around feeling bored at protests.

That's not what protests are for. You're supposed to take selfies and shit. That's what really matters.

Also no, other than voting and reading the news about what's going on etc.

 

[Zhukov]

I vote. I occasionally stand around feeling bored at protests.

That's not what protests are for. You're supposed to take selfies and shit. That's what really matters.

Nah, my attitude toward protests is old school.

It's only a real protest if you're setting shit on fire and frantically searching for things to throw at the police.

 

[Chimpzy_v1legacy]

I vote because it's mandatory in Belgium.

The way our political system works, status quo is king, so very little changes no matter which side you're on, with the exception of which faction is complained about/mocked the most when they're all being incompetent again.

 

[FalloutJack]

I do a few things, sign a few petitions I think deserve signing. I vote. You know, pretty normal stuff.

 

[Kolby Jack]

I haven't given two shits about politics since the first and only time I voted back in 2008. I remember pushing the buttons, I remember feeling nothing. I just don't care. And I don't think it's the right thing to not care; I should care. I'm not actually that cynical. I know my vote counts. But I just don't care. I can't make myself care. I choose to live in this country and I accept the consequences of that choice and any others I make with regards to that. Politics just isn't my problem.

 

[Jandau]

Aside from voting, not very. The main issue is that the political parties are exceedingly corrupt in my country and sane people don't want to go anywhere near that. Now, you might argue that it's the responsibility of me and others to change that, but the thing is, it can't. Things are the way they are because the population of my country is messed up, uneducated, stuck in the past, etc. And I can't change them, so there's no way for someone to get widespread support without becoming like the very corrupt assholes who they should be fighting.

So I stay out of politics, do my voting for what I perceive as the least shitty option during every election and continue planning my eventual emigration...

 

[Dalisclock]

I keep informed, occasionally sign petitions(though have no illusions that they probably do very little), and sometimes e-mail my elected representatives(who I mostly agree with). I also vote whenever an election comes up and try to actually research who stands for what(though some positions it's hard to tell what I'm supposed to be voting for. Fire Chief? I'll vote for whichever ones will put fires out).

Though this year I donated a fair amount of money to Bernie(the first time, and possibly the last, I've ever donated to a candidate) and I occasionally throw donations at organizations I agree with(which unfortunately, lands me on mailing lists from people and orgs I've never heard of before. Just how did a senator from the mid-west get my e-mail address when I live in Oregon again?).

Now it's back to a sense of semi-depressed resignation, because now I have a choice between a POTUS who is corrupt as hell and a candidate who is a raving, racist lunatic(and no doubt also corrupt as hell), and the knowledge that third parties have no chance of actually winning right now.

 

[ErrrorWayz]

I vote.

I quit Facebook due to the endless faux "activism" and ridiculously puerile, usually "single issue" takes on pretty much all political events.

That's about it.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Pretty politically engaged. I've worked in the sector. I've directly consulted with key political offices in the education sector. But even off pay cheque when I wasn't paid by the Department. I've participated extensively in trans activism. Letter bombing (not that kind), direct consultation, grass roots organisation, volunteer services (Red Cross and St. Vincent's), the last pair of which is typically targeted at homeless and economically challenged relief operations.

People need to get out there. So much so I think social welfare services should be a mandatory gap year part of education. Hopefully if you got more rich kids helping dish out free hot meals to the poor they'd realize the importance of human dignity for all. That it's a duty to provide, not 'charity'. Seems just as important as anything else you can learn in school.

One person in the Good Start Breakfast Program could alleviate hunger for 30-40 youths in schools. Just one person. If you made it a part of a person's education to deliver hot meals to the least fortunate you could alleviate one of the biggest obstacles to breaking intergenerational poverty.

 

[Signa]

It's an election year. I'm suddenly a lot more interested in politics than normal. Shit's been going down that I didn't know about and now I'm willing to put up more of a fight if it comes to it.

I have to say, had the choices in November been Bernie vs Trump, I wouldn't have cared much. I'm so scared of Hillary that I'm going to vote for Trump, and I've never voted before. I'm sure some people are that scared of Trump over Hillary. Politics in America is basically voting for the devil you know, but I feel like the devil I know this time is far worse than what I think the other unknown devil could end up being. I'd prefer Trump being elected and then stonewalled at every turn rather than Hillary (who, least of all, did support the notions of video games causing violence) getting a free pass at every idea she has on the grounds she's a woman. After all, that's the credentials she's trying to sell everyone on.

 

[Dornedas]

Well I complain on twitter and write angry post on my blogs, so you could say that I'm pretty much the apex of political activity.

Ok serious now:
I vote and that's pretty much it. And even with that I'm planning to spoil my ballot on the next vote.
Mainly because my opinion is: If you don't vote you don't get to complain.

I don't see why I should do more since I don't care about 90% of policies.

But I've always wanted to go to one of those anti-refugee demonstrations with a sign reading "Refuges eunt domus" or "Draenor for Draenei".

 

[Bobular]

I read up on issues, I vote, I complain online, I try to convince the people around me to vote preferably for whatever I'm voting for.

As far as I'm concerned that's as much as I can do politically, I don't have time to protest or go door to door or anything like that, I don't have the money to donate to any party.

 

[Wrex Brogan]

I'm very political (mainly because of the whole 'Australia still won't let me get legally married the backwards fucks'), the thing is... I just hate most politics. Well, I hate most politicians, and to do anything political you have to end up interacting with politicians, whether it's getting their attention through protests or trying to gather enough public support so politicians can stop acting like cunts for 5 minutes.

But it's just... yeah, because Politicians are a load of useless bastards more focused on paychecks than their jobs (at least in Australia, I can't... actually recall any of them that aren't fucking awful examples of human beings), I don't see much point in doing things like contacting them directly or standing around outside parliament shouting about whatever's the problem of the month. They don't give a fuck, they're not going to care if I shout and holler as loud as I can at them.

The end result is... well, I vote. I keep up to date on who is doing what in the political sphere and how the government is trying to fuck me over today (oh yay, 3 more years of a Liberal Government! And Pauline Hanson is a Senator now? Fucking shoot me now), look into any new politicians to see if they've got a spark of humanity in them and... that's about it, really. I get vocal about human rights things when people ask me about them but generally stay out of any full-on debates/discussions about them (especially around University, good god) because... well, it's just not worth it anymore.