OpEdNews - Page 2 of Article: "My Soul Looks Back in Wonder, Voices of the Civil Rights Experience" by Juan Williams

While many voters breathed a great sigh of relief after November's clear repudiation of the Republican strategies and policies, their complacency is quite dangerously premature. Sadly, but perhaps not surprisingly, the Democrats are not necessarily tuned in or responsive to the urgent need for meaningful election reform. There are a number of proposals out there that will be introduced very soon. But it is far from clear that any of them will do the trick to restore safe, accurate and transparent elections, despite the sponsors' claims. The August Zogby poll commissioned by election law attorney Paul Lehto revealed that 92% want the "right to view vote counting and obtain information about vote counting" http://wwwzogby.com/News/ReadNews.dbm?ID=1163 This is a startling and overwhelming majority of Americans. But, while our elected officials are supposed to reflect our views, they simply will not do it without a tremendous amount of prodding from their constituents.

As Susan Brownmiller writes in My Soul Looks Back in Wonder, p.161

"Change in this country comes from people's movements. It doesn't come from electoral politics or legislation. It starts with very special people who declare themselves soldiers in an unpaid volunteer army of the moral, knowing they can really make change."

This is the challenge that we face. Will people fight their own feelings of helplessness and apathy and step forward and mount a sustained effort to force change from the bottom up? We must demand accountability from our government. Otherwise, we are a sad excuse for a democracy. The Salt Lake Tribune quoted a native of Salt Lake City, who is interning in Washington this semester and who participated in the rally: "There's nothing more patriotic than coming out and voicing your opinion." http://www.sltrib.com/ci_5102265
I couldn't agree more.

Won't you join us?

Three "Quick Pick" actions for people ready to stand up and be counted:

• Sign the "Request by Voters" for thoughtful, thorough amending of the Holt Bill to achieve meaningful election reform http://www.wethepatriots.org/HAVA/requestbyvoters.php
• Sign the Velvet Revolution's Paper Ballot Campaign "a paper BALLOT for every vote cast in America" petition
http://www.velvetrevolution.us/Campaigns/PaperBallots/
Support Rep. Dennis Kucinich's HR 6200 "hand counted paper ballots, counted and posted at the precinct level" http://kucinich.us/node/1486

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