Yes, Alaska gave the world Sarah Palin. Sorry about that. But Alaska is also home to a lot of fine progressives and musicians, and I thought I'd share with you an example of what you get when you mix the two. Fiddlehead Red is a Fairbanks area band that composed a little ditty called "Vote for O" (click to listen) for the "Barack the Vote" event held at the University of Alaska Fairbanks this past Friday, October 17. The band asked me to include the following message (below the fold, along with lyrics). Disclaimer: I am neither a member of nor financially linked with the band.
The recording that goes along with this message is rough, but we figured getting the message out there sooner was better.
The challenge is to have a party with your friends! Get together and make a list of the people whose political beliefs are different than yours. Ask them if they'd be interested in talking about what is important to them, and listening to what is important to you. Start the conversation- you never know what you'll learn until you ask!
I've had a lot of success so far with being straightforward about just wanting to hear people out. Now I have some really great questions to research based on conversations that I started with people I'd never even met before.
This is so exciting- join me in letting the world know what Alaskans really think! I want to be able to say definitively "United We Stand" for a change! Check out "Vote for O" at FiddleHeadRed.com.
Vote for O
By: Rachel DeTemple
Gonna send my nation a love letter
Send it on election day
And when I put it in the ballot box
I hope things might go my way
It’s Barack for me
I got audacity
And I know that he can
Bring us back our hope
Gonna send my nation a love letter
Gonna go and cast my vote
You can’t hide your flailin’ Sarah Palin
I’m gonna vote for Obama
I want my nation cared for
Want us all to find our cures
I want us all to have insurance
I don’t want no uninsured
It’s Barack for me
I got audacity
And I know that he thinks
Taxing all our healthcare would be wrong
I want my nation cared for
I want my nation strong
Your healthcare plan’s insane John McCain
I’m gonna vote for Obama
On a Tuesday in Alaska
I’m gonna make my nation change
And early Wednesday morning
Wipe my George Bush blues away
It’s Barack for me
I got audacity
And I know that he knows
Who it is he’s fighting for
On a Tuesday in Alaska
I’m gonna vote to end this war
I feel your POW pain, John McCain
But I’m still gonna vote for Obama
I’ll be here in November
When we welcome Palin home
I hope you had a nice time
Now please leave Washington alone
It’s Barack for me
I got audacity
And I know that he is
The only maverick with a clue
I’ll be here in November to start the work we have to do
Yes we can
Yes we can
Yes we can
Yes we can
Yes we can