"I'm too discouraged to do anything," she says. "Too much is wrong."
I've got another night of cold-calling voters, asking them to dial their state legislators
It's a walkabout through a new American wilderness
The first page reveals a flat and barren landscape, with almost nothing but disconnected numbers
Another page leads into the land of hermits, interested in nothing but their private lives
Now and then, I smell fear: "I really can't get involved," one woman tells, hanging up quickly
Another says she agrees with me but thinks it's pointless to call her state senator: "He's an asshole," she explains. And I'd bet she really knows the score. But I point out that her phone call will take less than minute and suggest she can bite her tongue perhaps for that long on the off-chance that enough calls might have an effect. She pauses for a blink, then asks for his number
Yet another says she knows actually him and would just prefer not to talk to him. "Maybe you could send an email?" I ask. Yes, she thinks she could do that, so I give her the address
But I have no luck with the woman too discouraged to do anything
As an anonymous phone voice, I don't feel comfortable tonight suggesting political activism as a cure for depression -- though perhaps I might have tried it had I met her face-to-face
Instead I gently note that the call will take hardly any time. She counters that there are more important issues
Since I've called uninvited, I somehow resist the temptation to point out to her that she obviously has a &@#*!$% phone, that she seems to know how to use it, and that she has just told me she isn't doing &@#*!$% anything about anything anyway, whether it's &@#*!$% important or not, so maybe she could &@#*!$% leave the &@#*!$% self-pity-party for one &@#*!$% minute to make a quick &@#*!$% phone call
Instead, I gently thank her, wish her a pleasant evening, and move down the page to the next number
= new reply since forum marked as read
Cher
Oh, struggle, how I know. It just boggles the mind how apathetic Americans are.
It's really hard to do this work when people say these things to you.
When I moved into my current neighborhood, I went door to door to form a political activist group and I will never forget a woman who listened to my spiel from her doorstep and then said, "Don't you have anything better to do with your time?"
Years later, her huge, luxurious house went into foreclosure. I have to wonder if she'd been a little more involved if she could possibly have made the contacts or had enough awareness of what was going on that she could have saved her house.
But I will close this post with a happier story.
i teach a class called Social Activism. Yes, I work for a very progressive, visionary type of department head who keeps this class on the books, even though it doesn't attract students in droves. Still, we manage to get about 22 students each semester.
Unfortunately, what I get in this class are students who need 3 hours of an upper-level elective and they choose this one because they couldn't get into other classes. They are not necessarily students who care about social causes.
This year I had a student who actually flaunted his ignorance and apathy. He seemed to take great joy in pointing out that neither he nor anyone else in the class cared about social inequity. I can't even begin to tell you what that did to my spirit. But I soldiered on.
One day I lost it with him and went on a rant. This was after he said he figured his political representatives were hopefully acting in his best interest. 
I won't belabor what I said to that. As a DU-er you would know.
However, midway through the class, his attitude started changing.
Toward the end of the semester, I spoke with another professor from whom he was taking classes. This professor told me that this student had told him that my class had changed him. My colleague pointed out to me that this could be considered a success.
This is just a small bit of progress and enormous effort went into it. Your story (and mine) tell us we are a long way from "the tipping point."
Hang in there, and here's a big hug: 
I love it that you're doing what you're doing, even though there is so little satisfaction in it.
Cher
but I screen all my calls, so I would never have taken the call in the first place. Sorry, not interested in solicitations of ANY kind. 
Today maybe wasn't the best day, but you did such a good job. You were positive and did what you were supposed to, without letting your feelings show.
I'm so proud of you. Honored to know you. Grateful for you. 
not in a squad room type situation. I really hate it when the people around me listen to my every word. Because I do get into long conversations sometimes. I'd rather do that, especially with the elderly folks, than stick to the script. And I'm good at it.
I had one day last year that was crazy, though. It was as if every other person had a list of questions prepared to ask. And debate. Complete with talking points. It was the last day I had to do independents. Pretty soon, from the street names, I realized I was calling the area right around the big LDS temple or whatever it's called. Not one of the smaller churches, but the big one. So, let's just say they were just as committed to the conversation as I was. 
