And people who try to live their lives by the golden rule will not canvass and telemarket when they don't want to be canvassed or telemarketed to themselves.
Sorry I don't buy this. We live in a democracy. And democracy requires eternal vigiliance to keep those in power from ruining the country. I'm sorry if people don't like to be bothered, but they need to be bothered. There is too much injustice, suffering, and poverty to let people off the hook. I believe it is wrong to NOT interrupt people in their homes and shake them out of their warm coccoons while they wathc American Idol. People need to realize that there are major problems in this world that we all have a responsibility to address, even if it interrupts their dinner.
We're not selling anything. We're reminding them that there's more that's required of them to live in a democracy than just sitting on the couch.
I agree too. There are people in more than half of the world that die to be able to have the right to talk to their neighbors about their beliefs and get them to take action.
Point taken. I guess tough love works with some people. But my concern is that if you antagonize people by violating their personal space, it causes them to wrap themselves even more tightly. A major economic collapse or a military draft would wake folks up really quick. But I'd like to think that there's a better way.
But my concern is that if you antagonize people by violating their personal space, it causes them to wrap themselves even more tightly.
That happens, but you reach far more people where that is not the case. So you turn off some people with canvassing. Ok, well you can try one of the non-obtrusive ways to contact them then. But that doesn't mean you should scrap the most effective way to communicate with your neighbors. We should do both/all methods. Canvassing is the best method though and it also works better when it is done on a regular basis so that people are used to it and especially when it is normally done by neighbors.
Multifarious, voter-specific campaign techniques implemented by grassroots neighborhood activists and coordinated through the Internet with micro-targeting. I'm sold. Let me know when you want to start and I'll help you build the database!
The issue is more whether or not there are more effective ways to make the important points.
