Signs of hope for the faint of heart

[fugue]

My apologies if there is a thread already like this, but I didn't see one and I thought it might help.

There's a lot of fear and frustration out there, and I do think people come to places like DU to get some help with those emotions. So I propose that everyone post here events or articles that have them hopeful about the election and the direction the country is going. That way, when someone is feeling like they just can't go on, they can read the thread and hopefully find some more energy and strength to go on.

Here's my contribution:

I have a friend who, at our fifteenth college reunion last year, asked me to stop sending her political forwards. "I'm just apolitical," she said.

I saw her again in February 2004. Her elder daughter had started school. An early childhood educator herself (she's got a master's degree in it) before she stayed at home to have her kids, she was horrified to see the condition of the schools. She also had learned more about the Iraq situation (I suspect from her liberal hubby, who sends me forwards). When she visited her mother the week before I saw her, the four mercenaries had been killed in Fallujah and there was a front page story about it. "Hide that! The kids can't see that picture!" she snapped at her mother. As her mother did so, my friend added, "Bush should never have taken us into Iraq. There wasn't any reason to!"

For the first time, her devoutly Christian mother sighed and did not defend Bush!

The best news: my friend and her liberal hubby are Ohio voters! The hubby (a very good friend in his own right) says he doesn't buy for a minute that Bush has an 11-point lead in Ohio. He thinks it's probably a "dead heat."

Another bit of good news: my boss, an entrepreneur who is an Arizona voter, is also voting for Kerry. She doesn't buy the "small business team" nonsense.

I don't have much more, but I don't get out much (I'm autistic). I will share any more hopeful signs that I see, though.

Please post your own hopeful signs here, to boost the spirits of our tired compatriots so that they may continue to fight the good fight!

[vetwife]

1. Good Post Fugue ...Hey there !

:yourock:

[blondeatlast]

2. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Great post, and a great idea!

My entire office, 6 women, all but one a DEFINITE Kerry supporter, and the one that isn't, well, she just isn't the smartest whip in the tack. When I tell her about Kerry's health care plan, I think even she'll turn.

AZ (my home state) is going blue; watch and see.

I'm going to bookmark this one and kick it when things start to get gloomy and nasty.

We need this.

And I love your puppy, too!

[bringbackfdr]

3. A big believer in anecdotal evidence

It is a big reason why I'm so sure Kerry will win NH. In towns where you would never expect to see a Democratic bumber sticker, much less a lawn sign, they are popping up.

[CrispyQ]

4. Driving home today I was in a line of cars where . . .

...4 of us in a row had Kerry or anti-bush stickers! (and who knows how many behind me!)

I work in a small office building where there are several different businesses. In the parking lot there are 5 cars with Kerry stickers, no bush.

I think I read here today that some state has had over 200,000 voter registrations. We are going to come on in droves on Nov 2 & let the current administration know that we're sick & tired of this crap & we're not going to take it anymore!

My prediction: Kerry's gonna win in a landslide!

[Hello_Kitty]

23. Here in supposedly 'Republican' Arizona

I'm seeing so many Kerry stickers! I see a lot of Bush stickers too, but the thing is, Republicans have always felt free to express themselves here. I used to be really timid about identifying as a Democrat or liberal when I moved here 7 years ago. So it's really amazing to see the Kerry support. I think we're gonna take this state!

[Alleycat]

5. Another hopeful sign

For the 5 years I have lived in my town I have seen the same pick-up truck parked at a house a few streets over from mine. The pick-up has always had Air Force stickers and logos on it. The license plate reads: USAF-*** (some numbers). Today on my way home as I turned the corner to get to my neighborhood the pick-up had one more sticker added. It was posted in 4 or 5 inch lettering across the back window in white which shows up very good on the tinted window. It says "GEORGE W BUSH SUCKS". I drove around the block a second time just to get another look and laugh!!! So did my 12 year old!!

By the way I'm in PA.

[Nana]

6. My doctor...

voted for * in 2000..says he always tends to vote Republican...this time he says.."No WMD, no vote!" He's made his choice..and it's Kerry! :) Mailman stopped my husband the other day to share that he's voting for Kerry, as well, since he saw our yard signs...says "We have to get Bush out of there!"

[PA Democrat]

7. Thanks for the upbeat post fugue!

I have seen some encouraging signs also. I am working at the local Kerry campaign office recruiting volunteers for phone banking and canvassing.

There have been a lot of people volunteering who tell me that this is the first time they have ever worked on a political campaign.
Also, I had quite a few people thanking me for calling them to volunteer. They are so HAPPY to do whatever they can to get Kerry elected.

[cheshire]

8. Wow if you can find that info times all of us that is huge #'s of us.

Thank you

[SalParadise]

9. I'm still holding out hope for Ohio

so this is good to hear.

I think it's also a good sign that many new people are showing up (judging by low post counts).

Welcome to all of you, glad you're aboard.

[City Lights]

10. Here in the Phoenix area I'm seeing lots of Kerry stickers.

I'm seeing lots of bush ones, too, but was surprised at the level of Kerry support I'm seeing. I don't remember seeing this level of support for Gore.

There are lots of campaign signs along the route I use to take my kids to and from school. In the past week or so, big bush/cheney signs appeared on street corners on both sides of the street. I noticed what looked like bumper stickers on a couple of them and decided to slow down to see if I could get a closer look. These stickers are slapped smack dab in the middle of the "bush" portion of the sign. One reads, "How many wars do you support?" and the other reads, "Asses of evil."

[blondeatlast]

12. We're going blue, I tell ya!...

A beautiful blue desert in 2004!

[City Lights]

14. I'm very hopeful.

Especially since this is happening in the reddest part of the state.

[Proud liberal Kat]

11. I think I have converted my upstairs neighbor

He was all ready to not vote or vote for Bush. Believed in the war in Iraq and that Saddam was connected to terrorism like 9/11. We talked and argued and had fun one night. He came back a few weeks later and said he looked into what I had said and had been paying more attention, he's voting for Kerry!

I have signed up 7 new voters for Kerry and my brother in laws girlfriend who is 35 registered to vote for the first time for Kerry.

[missouri dem]

13. GOTV

Here in rural Missouri there is lots to be positive about. I am babysitting tonight but my wife, my best friend and his daughter are joining 20 other people at the phone bank. It has been up and running for 2 months. We have a democratic headquarters here in Carthage for the first time in 40 years. Tomorrow night we will be hosting a Hispanic outreach party to register new voters. We have plenty of volunteers to run our headquarters, phone bank, and do house to house canvasing.
I have yet to have anyone who voted for Gore in 2000 tell me that they will vote for w. but have had a number of republicans say that they will not vote for w.
Help and hope are on the way.

[karlrschneider]

16. I know Carthage....it isn't that far from Wagoner, OK. WELCOME to DU!

:D :toast:

[blue neen]

15. Thanks for the post, fugue!

I converted a friend to Kerry this week and registered her 20 year old son to vote.

[Andromeda]

17. The things you said in your post

about your friend, her husband and the others you mentioned are hopeful signs that the tide may be turning in Kerry's favor.

Some people take a while coming around and then there are others who will never understand the trouble our country is in. We can't do anything about those who don't want to listen.

Fortunately, I believe there are more people like us than the other way around.

I believe Kerry will win this election because he is meant to be our next president.

[Hamlette]

18. Thanks! Great post! We need stuff like this.

Thanks again. And remind them to VOTE!

[Barney Rocks]

19. Good news!

It makes me feel good to contribute to a positive thread.

I have a postitive thought to contribute--I just found out that my boss and his wife are strong Democrats and big contributors to the DNC! I had suspected that he leaned toward the Democrats, but I had no idea what her party affiliation would be. And I had no idea they are such strong supporters! It made me very happy.

[shivaji]

20. Kerry is going to win........here are my reasons:

He is taller......taller candidate wins almost every time.
Kerry has more hair.....winner usually has more head hair.
Kerry is the best debater in recent history amongst presidential candidates....he will chew shrub up and spit him out.
Kerry has never lost an election.
Kerry is wealthier than shrub....many times over.
Kerry has Edwards with another pretty face. Shrub has bald, pauncy,
crooked mouth Cheney.
Kerry is a democrat and there is more of us than repuglicans.

Hope this cheers y'all up!!!

[pacalo]

21. Excellent, fugue.

I've got a strong feeling (women's intuition) that Kerry is going to win in a landslide. I've had this feeling since the Democratic primaries. I've never wavered from this feeling for a moment.

For any of you who may feel discouraged, visit www.johnkerry.com & take a look at their photo gallery to see the huge crowds at their campaign rallies. This country is hungry for new leadership.

When someone drives you into a ditch, it's time for a new driver to take the wheel.

[grace0418]

22. I converted a coworker

He said he's a repub for economic reasons (at which point I rolled my eyes) but that he usually votes for an independent because he never likes either candidate. Lately he's been talking to me a lot about my views on Bush and the war and I think I've got him convinced that we need to get Bush out. I told him that whatever his reservations about Kerry were, Bush's record over the last four years proves that we simply cannot keep him around any longer. I *think* I'm getting through to him.

And this was a guy who used to come to me with the latest dumbass French=pussy joke just a year or so ago.