SWOPblogger

These past couple weeks SWOP has been door knocking and phone banking to talk to community members about issues that have been discussed in the legislature, such as APS wanting to create their own police force (not in this legislative term, but next year’s), health care for all, fair and ethical elections, open and honest government, and a healthy sustainable planet.

This is not my first experience door knocking. When I was younger I went door knocking with my parents, but I never had to talk to the people I was just there for the walk. So in a way it is new to me. It is very challenging for me to speak to people I’ve never met before, especially about such issues, because they seem to be very controversial. When I come to someone who is on one side of the issue and I’m on the other it is kind of discouraging, but it is a good experience. It helps me get over the fact that not everyone is on the same page on these issues, but at least we can talk about them.

Door knocking and informing community members have a great deal of importance, because some of the community members I talked to didn’t know about APS wanting to put together their own police force. Which to me, everyone should know about, because it affects us, the youth (A.K.A. The Future). It’s also important, because the issues we’ve been discussing will affect us all. We should all have a part in the decisions made that will impact us. Also, it assures that more people will vote based on what they know.

It’s also empowering as a young person to go out and do this, because it’s an educational experience. Along with the community members you’re speaking to you get to learn and understand the issues better. You also get to see all sides of the issues. While you may be for or against something, you get to hear the other side. Not only that, you can express to them, if they’re willing to listen, your side and why you feel the opposite. With this, I would encourage EVERYONE to get informed on issues that affect their communities and take part in the process in which these decisions will be made, whether that be by voting, door knocking, discussing them with neighbors, or even the people who represent you.

Labels: 2008 Legislature, door to door organizing, youth