Last year I attended Netroots Nation as a Democracy for America scholarship winner.
I promised I’d write a diary to encourage people to support Democracy for America’s scholarships of of Netroots Nation.
Then I sat down to write and couldn’t think of what I wanted to say.
“If you’re a songwriter and you want to sing about how someone broke your heart, you move to Nashville. To write about how you got drunk and broke someone else’s heart? Then you move to Austin.” – Peter Segal, NPR, Sat. 5/30/09.
Here’s what I said last year in Austin.’
I arrived at Austin Thursday just in time to hear Howard Dean speak outside the convention center.
It was one of those moments in life where timing is perfect.
In many ways Howard Dean’s work as a presidential candidate and then as DNC chairman got me there.
It was a true learning experiencing, getting to listen to Chris Bowers of Open Left on blog activism, Jill Tubman of Jack and Jill on the importance of social networking and hearing Van Jones on promoting a green jobs based economy.
But when you’re a state blogger often challenging your own party and fighting the Republicans, the most important part may have been the ability to just absorb the energy of the event and recharge the batteries.
I went to Netroots Nation for the forums. I stayed for the pie: sitting in the lobby chatting with franco and mcjoan and fellow state bloggers from Louisiana and Mississippi, hanging with the top comments crew and the kids from Bill in Portland Maine’s kiddie pool, listening to John Hobbs play the piano and sing at the worship service led by pastordan on Sunday morning.
I think the work of West Virginia Blue is important and is making a difference. We’ve challenged Senator Jay Rockefeller on telecom immunity, Gov. Joe Manchin on mountaintop removal, and too many state delegates for opposition to gay equality while providing a voice to progressives and liberals in a state dominated by media owned by rightwingers.
Too often it seems our successes have to be measured in the smallest of steps. But if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, then there’s signs we are making forward progress:
“I think there was definitely a void on the Internet for Republicans, for conservatives,” the 26-year-old said, “and I hope West Virginia Red will fill that void.”
The site launched Sunday and takes its name from West Virginia Blue, a site that features pieces on Democratic politics and progressive issues.
“I think all of us who are involved in political circles in West Virginia are very aware of West Virginia Blue,” said Stauffer, who managed state Supreme Court candidate Beth Walker’s unsuccessful campaign.
While I’d still be blogging even if I wasn’t a DFA scholar, it did help instill the confidence in me that much of what we were doing was right and gave tips on how to improve.
I would not have attended Netroots Nation without a DFA scholarship. Money in the Carnacki budget is often tight. So if you believe in the netroots, if you believe in grassroots activism, please support the DFA scholarship program so that other bloggers can go.
I would not have been there without a Democracy for America scholarship provided by all those who generously donated, as well as Land of Enchantment, Kid Oakland, trashablanca, SallyCat, a kind doctor in Alabama, Clem Guttata, and all those who nominated me.
The well-deserving Bob Kincaid will be representing my state this year and I hope he finds the experience as enriching as I did.
If you can afford to support the scholarships, the link is [https://www.democracyforamerica.com/contribution_pages/106 here].