As some of you know, our dear EM left the comforts of home, and dutifully and devotedly went off to do the hard work of advocating for Our Hero at yesterday's Live Earth concert in NJ. It was not a good experience for her, to say the least. :!: I knew that she had posted about her experience here, but the post was buried near the end of another long Off-Topic discussion, so it took me a while to find it. I hope she doesn't mind me re-posting it, but think we all should know what she went through for Al Gore, and for us! And I think she should be re-paid for the trouble and expense she went to. More about that below.


"I, unfortunately, have nothing good to report. I could try to put some positive spin on it, but I'd be misleading you if I did that.

Only two of us went to "work the crowd," as it were--myself and the NYC organizer, Steve C. We bought tickets at the last minute last night and agreed to meet at the stadium. Steve came from Manhattan on a bus; I came up from central Jersey in my car. I had 500 buttons with me and about 250 bumper stickers. Since I was going to have to park off-site (about 2 miles away from the stadium), Steve came to meet me by Giants Stadium before I ditched my car to take the goods from me because they were heavy and I wasn't sure I could carry them by myself from where I had to park back to the stadium. I then sat in about an hour of traffic trying to get to the designated parking lot. After that, I had to walk about a mile to get to the back of the line of what I estimate was about two thousand people waiting to get the rickety school buses back to Giants Stadium. It was in the mid-90s with bright sunshine, and they didn't even have vendors walking around selling water. It was brutal. So after waiting about another hour to get on the bus, I finally made it back to the stadium. At that point, with the construction and state fair set up outside the stadium, I couldn't get to where Steve was without going through the stadium, and once I had gone in, I couldn't get out again unless I had no plans of going in again. Steve, meanwhile, apparently couldn't hear his phone ringing, so I couldn't find where he was. I stayed up in the stadium for about an hour with nothing to do because I didn't have anything with me except a small number of bumper stickers and a handful of buttons that had fallen out of the bag. Also, the place was swarming with security people, and I didn't think it would be a good idea to slip into my activist role. Finally, Steve called me (amazing that I could hear my phone with the din of the music). He was dying of thirst, so I bought him a bottle of water ($4 for what's usually $1 anywhere else) and went down to give it to him. He still hadn't come through the gate into the stadium, so I had to hand it to him from inside or I wouldn't have been able to get back in again. Suddenly, he was surrounded by five yellow-shirted Live Earth security people with walkie-talkies. They told him in no uncertain terms that he would have to stop what he was doing or they would confiscate all his materials. Since he had several hundred dollars worth of buttons and bumper stickers with him, he didn't want to risk that, and he left. I turned to go back into the stadium, and they came up to me and asked to see my bag. I said I just had some odds and ends in there, just some buttons and bumper stickers that Steve hadn't been able to take. I assured them I was no threat. But they insisted on looking through my bag, and the guy said, "There's a petition in there." I was so put out by the whole thing at that point that I made a snide remark and said, "Yeah, I'm pretty dangerous." At least the guy laughed. Since I was already inside the stadium gates at that point, I guess they felt bad for me and didn't want me to have to waste my ticket, so they offered to take me to security where I would have to leave my bag of stuff (honestly, was it worth it for the petition and five buttons and a bunch of bumper stickers?) and then I could go back to the concert and pick up the bag when I left. But security was clear on the opposite side of the stadium and down underneath--quite far away. So the guy gave me a ride on one of the golf carts over to the security area. Things were so hectic over there, and I had developed a horrible headache from standing in the hot sun all that time and getting dehydrated and having had nothing to eat all day, and besides, at that point, I had no one to even enjoy the concert with since Steve had left. And then I also got to thinking about what a pain it was going to be to get back to the security area when I wanted to leave since my seat was at the opposite end of the stadium. So, since I couldn't do what I'd mostly gone there for, which was get signatures and give out buttons/bumper stickers, I decided to just take my stuff and head home. That made them really suspicious. They asked me if I even had a ticket, thinking I'd somehow managed to sneak in. Well, I produced my ticket and said I just wasn't feeling well and that all I wanted to do was go home, get some Tylenol, and watch the concert from the comfort of my living room. So the security guy gave me a lift back to the other side of the stadium on the golf cart, and then I had to hike back to where the buses were and then walk in the heat and sun back through miles of parking lots to get my car, and that was the end of my day. By the time I got home, I felt like I wanted to die. I'd been gone for eight hours and had accomplished absolutely nothing except spending a lot of money, getting a huge headache, and a sunburned face. I spent the rest of the day watching the concert from home. Nothing seemed to touch my headache, and I was so upset about having spent $100 between the ticket and parking and the couple of bottles of very expensive water I'd bought, only to have not gotten so much as one signature or given out one button. Steve did manage to get about 150 signatures and gave out probably as many buttons before the security people chased him off. I saw a couple of the buttons on TV also, on tank tops, like you said. But that was it. As a matter of fact, Steve had commented on how there were film crews all over the place where he was and they were very deliberately filming everyone but him. They really meant what they said about not wanting any political activity. I respect that. I just wish we'd known before we went.

To say I'm disappointed is to put it mildly. But the security people told us that the Live Earth people had given strict orders for there to be no political activity whatsoever. The news media were all reporting that Gore was using the concerts for his own political gain, and he wanted to be sure there was no political activity going on that might reinforce that mistaken notion.

So that was my day. Blueraider probably had a great time (I hope he did!) and will have a more positive story to tell. I wish I'd been able to stay and enjoy the concert, but more than that, I wish I'd been able to get signatures and give out buttons and bumper stickers.

Very, very disappointing. "

karenwunderman.com


Obviously, Karen went way above and beyond the call of duty to promote Al Gore. She may be "Wunder' woman, but ya gotta be Superwoman to survive this. The experience she described sounds like some Cheney-like form of torture. I think it's only fair that Karen get reimbursed for the concert ticket and expenses. Obviously, this would be voluntary and optional, but a bunch (20+) of us could each chip in, say, 5 bucks, and then Karen could get herself some headache remedies, sunblock, bottled water, a portable fan, a trip to a day spa, and the eventual DVD of Live Earth.

But, where can we send donations? :?:

That is a Wunderful idea

We should also do something nice for Steve also. He sounds like he didn't have a very good day at all, and had taken all of those buttons etc, and tried to get in but was unable to.

It might also be nice to hear what any of our people report, then decide what to do.

We could send her money via PayPal or egold or something like that, or someone could be the custodian of our intentions and carry out our wishes for her on our behalf.


And we all need to tell her how much we love her and admire her effort and stamina.


Here's to Wunder Woman .... the hero of AGSC and AGO, along with Steve. Allso, remember her efforts at the book signing too.

You guys are too much. I can't tell you how touched I am by what you've said here.

We have needed money so badly for our efforts, and any and all would be appreciated . . . not to pay me and Steve back. That's water under the bridge, and we did it knowing full well what we were doing. My main regret about that is that it was a total waste. But no one needs to share the burden for that. We did, however, shell out about $150 each for the buttons and bumper stickers, and that's where we can really use the money. Our movement has been in desperate need of money so we can order supplies to give to our people all across the country for buttons and bumper stickers and rally signs, etc. Some people have sent in money toward that (one of our loyal members--al001--has been quite generous with that, and Nasty Diaper donated 150 of those great Gore 2008 bumper stickers with the earth peeking up from below). At the moment I'm personally in the hole for over $500 for materials I've paid for and had shipped to other organizers. I'm unable to continue doing that. So any money anyone wants to donate toward that effort would be most welcomed. If anyone's comfortable doing it, they can send it directly to me. I keep that money separate from my personal money, and all of it goes either to pay our vendors for previous orders or to buy and ship more materials.

At some point we will probably have to form a separate PAC. We hope to start getting some big donors in the not-too-distant future, but most are waiting to see what Gore does before giving money. That's unfortunate because the money is needed NOW to convince him to run.

Anyway, I really appreciate your kind words, but let's face it: I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't have a screw or two loose to begin with! :wacko:

Give me an address, EM. I want to help.

I TRUST YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You've been one hard and devoted campaigner.

I agree, it's now time to shoot off all the fireworks we have and can get.

Thank you so much, TNblue. My address, for anyone who cares to make a donation:

Karen Wunderman
13 Bunker Hill
Cranbury, NJ 08512

Just do me a favor and include your screen name so I know who's sending what. And I can't tell you how much we appreciate this. July 14th will be the kick-off meeting in Iowa, and we have so much work to do there. And you can't very well run a campaign without buttons and bumper stickers! I'll probably send the several hundred buttons and bumper stickers we didn't use at the Meadowlands yesterday on to Iowa, where they'll be put to better use. But we'll also be starting initiatives in New Hampshire and South Carolina soon, and we need to be prepared for that.

As for shooting off all the fireworks, you're right: It's now or never. Now our serious push has to begin. We only have about 60, maybe 90, days to accomplish our objective. We have to make very good use of that time.

One thing I was thinking comes from that interview I saw yesterday during the Live Earth concert. The reporter (I don't know her name) asked Al, "Will you answer the call?" I think it's time for us to all write more letters to Gore, this time asking if he'll answer the call. He has asked us all to answer the call and do our part, and many of us will. But will he answer the call? Our call? I think we need a major letter-writing campaign with people asking him that question.

Anyway, thanks for anything any of you can do. We are the grassroots, and we are the ones who will make this happen. Let's demand that he answer our call! :good:

A check is in the mail (tomorrow). :good:

earthmother -

Thanks for everything you did for us yesterday!
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you!

Mine too, Karen. And thanks to Steve C. for his work as well. (And I'll be sending a check through snail mail. I don't know from Paypal or Egold. I'm not that kind of girl).

By the way, don't folks sell their buttons and bumper stickers - if only to afford to buy more? My group in western MA does, and we sell them for $2 each at the farmer's market and other group gatherings. We don't sell a lot, but no one is going into the poorhouse either...

On the subject of Iowa, is there still a need for calling folks there? On the days that I'm home, I have unlimited phone (but I don't when I'm out of town, and I don't own a cell phone - I'm not that kind of girl either. I'm a 20th century Luddite).

Sorry to be mixing several subjects here. but yeah, it IS time to ask Our Hero to Answer The Call as well.

Thanks EM for all your very hard work!! What would we do without you?? My check is in the mail too!! And I plan to write our Mr. Gore ASAP, asking if he'll answer our call!!

I can't thank you guys enough. What an incredible group of people we are! As I was sayinig to one of our other members offline earlier, we have forged bonds in this movement that are strong and solid, and I only hope that someday we all get to meet and have the party of our lives to celebrate Gore's election as president of the U.S.

The money you send in will go to buy and ship materials to Iowa and the other states where they're needed.

Thank all of you so much for your trust and support. :bow:

Sweet mother of pearl, it wasn't exactly "Earthmother's Excellent Adventure", was it? Oh my gosh. I'm so sorry you had such a frustrating, HOT, exhausting time of things. I guess I do understand why security was so strict, as the last thing Gore, Live Earth or anyone on the side of saving this beautiful orb needs right now is to give the "other side" (why there even IS an "other side" to saving our earth by starting to treat it with respect, I don't understand, but I digress...) any ammunition to discredit Live Earth in any way, including enabling them to say "Aha! A-HAAAAAA! This is all secretly a Gore in 2008 rally!" or some such. Still, one would think that since this is a free country (one can still say that with a straight face, can't one?), a sincere pup or two or three trying to exercise their right to free speech by handing out buttons and trying to get signatures on a petition to draft someone as a nominee, at an event where logically there would be a lot of people who are amenable to said someone being drafted, would not raise any eyebrows or be considered fuel for the Live Earth bashers, Gore bashers, and assorted and sundry other "haters" *sigh*.

Anyway, what a nightmare. Earthmom, we appreciate you so much and all you do. Keep on fighting the good fight, you may feel like one little person against a sea of security guards in yellow shirts, metaphorically speaking, but just know that it is little people like yourself, who keep voting and speaking up and braving boiling hot days and huge crowds and humorless security guards in order to fight the good fight who give me hope for this world.

Rock on wit' your GOOD self!

Dear God, do I want to be at THAT party! I will turn up Led Zepplin's "Been a Long Time Since I Rock and Rolled" and commence dancing through the streets, yellow-shirted security guards be darned--wu HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!

:dance:

Why play it on a recording.

If this does happen, I will organize a band real quick and will play a bunch of songs of celebration live for all of you .... that is if someone can help with the gas and getting a sound system and a stage together.

:good:

Again, sorry about how your day turned out, after you all you were trying to do. Please when you get the time check your PM. :(