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Press Releases and Blogs Entries |  |
11/3/2004
Commentary on home page today, future of site is an open question
Please email Andrew to chime in on your preference for the future of the site. Should it continue as a meeting place for those committed to bringing healing and civility for public discourse and conduct? Or, should it die off as a tool for the moment of need that has passed us by?
Your comments are essential.
11/2/2004
COMMENTARY:
Will it Really End Today?
As you know, today is day 5 of the Vigil -- Election Day -- and hopefully we are near the end.
After all, that is what this vigil has been all about -- a peaceful resolution to this election.
I have a feeling however, that we are just coming into the storm, and we are about to be called upon to sacrificially promote civility in a very trying hour. Please dont think me pessimistic in my outlook, but understand that we have to not only extend great hope and prayer for peaceful resolution, we also have to face the brutal facts.
The facts are that party members have their passions running at an all time high, with neither side being likely to lay down and accept defeat easily. There are widespread reports of terrible behavior among those involved with 'get out the vote' phone calls. Reports of voter fraud are rampant in Florida and Ohio, which look to be the key states where the average of polls shows a near tie. Efforts to make sure those who show up to vote are actually qualified to vote are being are being vilified as intimidators. And, although I could go on and on, on top of all this, polls show that only 4% of likely voters said they can accept (without grudge) either candidate as their next president.
In an age of growing moral relativism, people give themselves to rationalize the ends justifying the means in new ways. When one party is caught in an underhanded ploy, instead of facing the charge and the facts, they simply accuse the other side of doing the same or worse, with the pesky truth being a secondary matter. This form of obfuscation has been accepted by the press as political fair play we are all supposed to tolerate. Thinking, intellectually honest people are starting to wonder if politics is the venue for those of us who have refused to grow up.
Meanwhile, with all polls locked up into a dead heat entering into election day, pundits put out a baseless hope that in spite of the facts, a clear winner will somehow emerge. I also saw an online poll yesterday that asked site visitors if there would be a clear winner, and 62% said yes. Any clear minded view of the news would demonstrate that this is wishful thinking. Both candidates truly appear confident that their side will win -- no spin!
So as I face the brutal facts, I know that we need to consider the very real possibility that this vigil must be extended all the way until the winner is announced and perhaps until there is a quelling of bitterness among the political operatives of the losing side.
I do have a hope however, and it is based in reality.. It is a hope that you and I can rise up and attract like minded people to stand and speak for a higher standard of conduct. It is a hope that the people will be empowered through this time because they did not sit idly by watching the train wreck about to happen. I also have a hope in a miracle as well. Defying the situation, it is indeed possible that we'll know tonight who will be the next president.
Andrew Deal
Vigil For Civility Primary Organizer
Email
We had our biggest press to date on election day as Frank Davies wrote a great article on the Vigil.
Please check it out. Many vigil members are quoted.
Miami Herald Front Page News
View it here without having to log in! :-)
Other news outlets pick up story
http://crosswalk.com/news/1293778.html
http://www.freep.com/news/politics/civility2e_20041102.htm
See an Excel report of publishers to date
11/1/2004
News piece comes out on CNS News
CNS News took notice of our efforts and elegantly connected it to the mounting violence, fraud, vandalism and litigation trends threatening our election process.
Please check it out here, and send letters to the editor, asking them to put a link to us on the site. They explained that their policy does not allow for that, as it could be seen as promoting rather than reporting. Our position is that readers simply need to see what is being reported on.
We are hoping other media outlets will pick up on this story. Please email 87 media outlets now to tell them to pick up on this great story.
New Tool Provided for Poll Monitors Around the Country
Poll monitors will be on the front lines tomorrow all around the country and they will have the unique burden of demonstrating civility as they verify the legal registration of voters coming to the polls. For them, we encourage the iron on printing of a Vigil for Civility patch so voters can be reassurred of their membership in the vigil.
10/31/2004
New member data comes into play
News Flash - After interviewing many people who agree with the Vigil's goals, we found that there are probably 10 people who agree and are casually joining the Vigil without signing up, for every person that actually does. This puts our spontaneous movement at about 300+ members, despite our limited media coverage. Please make calls to the networks now to help the press see the value of this grassroots movement.
Take Action Today
The best update we can bring on day three is to outline the following action plan to be carried out by all committed vigil mambers from now until the resolution of the election
- Sign up to be part of the Vigil (it is anonymous, safe, and secure)
- Host a live Vigil Event in your area by completing those fields in your profile, and calling your friends to RSVP through website.
- Message others in the Vigil to encourage them in their AOV.
- Call radio talk shows and talk about the grassroots citizens response to election fraud.
- Email friends using our promotion page, or on your own.
- Email media contacts (we have the list here) and tell them about the story, encouraging them to interview you and/or Andrew.
- Encourage Poll Monitors everywhere to where a shirt with the Vigil Logo on it, as a way to assure voters that the election is being monitored by peaceful people, seeking only to confirm the legality of every vote cast.
Congress.org gets a soapbox alert!
http://congress.org/congressorg/home/
Please check it out... it will be in upper right corner.. You can add one too!
10/29/2004
Vigil Kicks Off Today
Organizers are pleased to hear nothing but good wishes and support from all who hear of us and comment, but are disappointed in the lack of sign ups to date. If you are new to the site, please understand that this site is only 5 days old now and it is not too late to sign up and participate. We are expecting many to learn of the Vigil only this weekend and join mid-stream! Don't hesitate to take the 5 minutes needed to lend your voice in support of civility
Hunger Strike for Civility if Legal Battles Overshadow Voters Choice
New resolve comes to Vigil organizer Andrew Deal to continue fast until President is decided.
"I feel this is the only way to get the attention of the government and the people on this subject", said Deal. "Civility in this situation is not going to happen accidentally. The people are going to have to demand it, I think. My commitment to this may just bring the proper kind of attention to the issue."
Emails have been sent to media personalities with this new subject line. All Vigil participants are encouraged to contact the media as well to alert them regarding the new stakes. Individual members are all here for sake of conscience, and can update their AOV as they see fit, and are only encouraged to message Andrew with their opinions regarding his impending decision.
Fasting Guide Added to Site
In order to assist the growing numbers of inquiring visitors to understand how to fast and conduct a hunger strike, we put up a fasting guide. The situation in our nation is serious.. and it calls for serious action!
Overseas support
We are hearing reports from overseas of wonderful support! The myth that all the world is against us is just that-- a myth. In actuality, people are reporting how much the world looks up to America for moral leadership and principled exampleship. We owe them a good result this Tuesday
10/28/2004
Challenge of Civility is presented to Kerry and Bush Campaigns
The phones are ringing from volunteers of the vigil to urge the Bush and Kerry campaigns to make a pledge of civility during the expected challenges in Ohio and Florida.
VOLUNTEERS ARE NEEDED!
Call the campaign offices with us and urge them to make the pledge today.
Bush Campaign: 703.647.2700 Get state number by browsing his site.
Kerry Campaign: 202.712.3000 Get the state office numbers here
Unless pressure is put on each campaign for civility, WE WILL SEE THE OPPOSITE.
UPDATE
I called both numbers... The Bush campaign people need to be called again. I was referred to someone who said to email. Are they taking us seriously?
When I called the Kerry campaign, all I got was voicemail. Plese leave messages for them as I did and I expect we will get some response before the vigil begins.
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10/27/2004
Second Press release sent to Washington Media
Our press release sent with the folowing new title: "Vigil For Civility Appeals to Bush and Kerry Campaigns for Civility in Final Days; Citizens Encouraged to Join Vigil Online", is set to hit the Washington news media Thursday AM. We are expecting good response, but praying that it will not get buried among all the big campaign releases.
Can partisans join the vigil?
We realize that many who are supporters of civility are also VERY active as partisans in these last days. Just for the record, we are not looking for doves to join the Vigil, but all people from all backgrounds and politics can join the vigil, stay active with their partisanship, and also prioritize civility in their conduct and in their expectations of others.
One of our common AOV's on our first two days has been from people determined to make sure their vote counts and is not denied. This is the determinationi of all Americans. Let the vigil be about everyone participating without fraud or intimidation.
10/26/2004
Mainstream Media Takes Interest in VigilForCivility.com
On Tuesday morning Andrew Deal, Primary Organizer for VigilForCivility.com, was interviewed by a reporter at
KIRO Radio Seattle concering his grass-roots efforts toward
a fair and successful election in November. Following a press release on 10/25 dozens of reporters and other interested
parties began to visit the site and contact its organizers for details on the effort.
Interest in the effort is beginning to spark nation-wide, with participants who share the same desire for a "civil" election
process beginning to sign up as participants. The effort is completely bi-partisan in nature and recognizes the fact that
members on each side of what has become the "Great Party Divide" have a desire to see this process through to a successful and
fair end.
VigilForCivility would like to again recognize KIRO Radio Seattle and
The Columbian for their viligance in reporting the grass-roots efforts of America's concerned voters. We
hope that other media outlets will follow suit and help get the word out. Let us hope and pray, and each perform our
own acts of vigilance for a Civil election in 2004.
(Entry posted by Joseph Lyman)
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Press Release - 10/25/2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
VANCOUVER, Wash., Oct. 28 /U.S. Newswire/ -- In response to the looming potential heartache of a prolonged, fiercely partisan post election legal battle, citizens are taking action nationwide to organize an emergency Vigil for Civility. The event is not a creation of any established organization, but rather a phenomenon of instant grassroots appeal, seeking to draw together individuals and groups already concerned about recent developments.
The VigilForCivility.com website -- http://VigilForCivility.com -- has a simple, straight forward message that carefully avoids partisan posturing as it seeks only to bring together the 58 percent (and growing) portion of voters who are worried that the next president will be selected by the courts rather than the people. With growing reports and accusations of vandalism, fraud, intimidation and legal disputes, VigilForCivility.com could become the virtual meeting place for all those not content to sit by the sidelines and watch democracy take a beating. Instead, those who become members simply agree to exercise a personal act of vigilance over the final five days leading up to Nov 2. Many will fast, pray, meditate and organize meetings as they see fit as an exercise of spiritual discipline.
"The goal is to take our concerns to the highest authority while holding leaders accountable to stay within the confines of truth and civility as the votes are being tallied. It is open for participation by Americans of all faiths and backgrounds," said project founder Andrew Deal.
Each visitor is asked to register their planned act of vigilance in a simple form and they are then given access to the site to update their information and use other functions. The site is database driven, which allows users with mutual affinity to the idea to interact freely and create a partisan-free zone where only the commitment to civility is promoted.
This spontaneous project is the brainchild of web developer Andrew Deal, who conceived the idea on Oct. 23 and put the site together within 48 hours, completing it just before press time.
Deal believes this site could not only find some broad grassroots appeal, but also become the most popular website ever to find its expiration date within 7 days of its launch!
"If all goes well and the proponents of civility have their way, this little website will become a fading memory by Thanksgiving, and that would be very fitting indeed," Deal said.
CONTACT:
Andrew Deal
Vigil For Civility
310-428-3695
andrew@vigilforcivility.com
http://vigilforcivility.com
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