I didn't realize that other people had started the same campaign when
I came to the conclusion that the only person to vote for as Prosecutor
(McCulloch is running unopposed) was Michael Brown, Jr.
(One link is the leaflet, the other is the original post.)
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/09/november-4th-2014-vote-for-michael.html
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/09/vote-for-michael-brown-november-4th.html
But
now that the movement has become visible, I found this article about
it, and all the (sarcasm alert) "lovely" trolls in the comments.
http://twitchy.com/2014/09/16/furious-st-louis-county-residents-start-campaign-to-writeinmikebrown-for-county-executive/
After
responding to all of them individually, and making the same points over
and over, I thought I'd just consolidate it all here.
First,
let me explain something about voting in this country that a lot of
people don't seem to understand. Your vote is NOT just a choice about
who is on the ballot, IT IS YOUR VOICE TO THE GOVERNMENT. As far as I
know, we are unique in all the world for this. VOTING and the election
process replaced the monarchy. It was the voice of the individual
citizen which is sovereign. And we have the right to say whatever we
want, without fear of government reprisal. (Well, in theory, anyhow.)
We
The People even have the right to vote for someone not on the ballot.
We can write-in ANYONE. You can vote for ANYONE. (I think Mickey Mouse
and Jesus, and during the 1960's, Snoopy's friend Woodstock, are the
most famous.)
http://www.dailyprogress.com/news/columnists/mckenzie-from-your-mom-to-hank-the-cat-write-in/article_f377eab4-304a-11e2-b874-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm
And did you know there is a cat that has been mayor of an Alaskan town for 16 years?
http://www.cnn.com/2013/09/04/us/alaska-cat-mayor-attacked/
We
can write-in the name of a dead man that was killed by the police. He
won't be elected, obviously, or serve in office, but we can tell the
government that is who we want to vote for. That is what voting is in
this country. Who we want, not NECESSARILY who is on the ballot.
This
is an unparallelled freedom in this world. That we have such freedom
and power we can legally mock a candidate and the entire electoral
process if we choose.
As I said before, I hope the
voter turnout this November is 100%. Not just the African American
vote, not just North county and city, but that everyone that is eligible
votes. Let us exercise and protect this freedom.
Your
voice is the strongest weapon you possess. By all means, keep
protesting, attending meetings, petitioning, and seeking out leaders
that can run for office, but please vote. Vote to protect your voice.
Vote to make your voice heard. Vote to send McCulloch a message that we
want Justice for Mike in that office.
http://www.stlamerican.com/news/local_news/article_5509968c-3e8c-11e4-b8fa-d3c00efcf341.html
Because
there have been so many attacks on voter rights, and because there is a
chance the Board of Election Commissioners may not officially tally the
votes for Michael Brown, Jr. I suggest you send the BOEC a message
BEFORE the election, in addition to calling on them on November 5th (the
day after the election) requesting that they uphold the voice of the
people and report the number of votes write-in candidates receive,
whether those write-ins are living or dead. It wouldn't hurt to send a
letter to the media outlets, requesting that they too ask the BOEC for a
tally of all the votes cast, including all write-ins, and not just for
those names on the ballot.
Feel free to use part or all of this letter.
Dear Board of Election Commissioners:
You
may be aware there is movement growing among voters to write in Michael
Brown, Jr. for St. Louis Prosecuting Attorney, against Robert
McCulloch, who is running unopposed.
Because the vote is the voice of the people in this country, and not
just the means to make a choice from what is on the ballot, we are
requesting that you tally and report the write-ins as well as the votes
for official ballot choices.
If you are planning to sanction voters for writing in a deceased
person, or discredit their ballots, please make public IMMEDIATELY under
what terms you are legally able to do this.
This is a re-post from Occupy Public Transportation in St. Louis
http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/09/why-voting-for-michael-brown-jr-is.html
Check out this post, too, on Shaun King's investigation into the actual distance between Wilson and Brown: http://optinstl.blogspot.com/2014/09/long-story-short-wilson-was-100-ft-away.html
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