(noon. – promoted by ek hornbeck)
First off, I want to thank everyone here at Docudharma for all of your love and support.
On Friday Night, at midnight for an hour, I will be interviewed by Nicole Sandler on Air America Radio regarding my diaries at DKos and other websites, but particularly regarding the diary I wrote recently which was titled Just call him a N!&&ER and get it over with, Republicans. We ALL KNOW that’s what you mean
Please, feel free to share this with others and pimp this news elsewhere, and if you can, please listen in.
I hope you will listen in and give me your support during this broadcast. You can find out which radio station in your area broadcasts AirAmerica by clicking here
Along with your support, I thought I would ask your advice, as this is my first chance to express my views in the traditional media, and I can use all the help I can get.
More below the fold, and again, thanks a ton, and wish me luck . . .
I have only been blogging for about a year now, and this is my first exposure in the traditional media. I started by blogging at the Great Orange Satan, and through various and sundry paths found myself here at Docudharma.com, which I happily consider my home away from home.
Since then I have become an admin at The Progressive Eletorate.com, and I also post on The Wild Wild Left.com, Antemedius.com as often as I can, as well as at the Albany Project.com whenever my writing pertains to New York State politics.
Needless to say, I am grateful to all who have gotten me to the place where I am today.
Of course, I AM going to shamelessly plug Docudharma.com and the other sites that I participate at. What can I say? Apparently I am a godless commie pinko loving hippie socialist in the eyes of those who hate me and my politics, and to them the same thing that FDR said once upon a time, which is that “I Welcome their hatred”.
So, to Buhdy, Ek Hornbeck and the other admins here, as well as all of the wonderfull contributors here at Docudharma, let me say thank you to one and all, and you can rest assured that I will plug this site in a heartbeat because I have absolutley no shame at all.
But I would like to solicit some advice from you, my peers and most beloved Dharma Bums.
1. Should I out myself? I enjoy my anonymity, but since I have no power and nothing to lose, I wonder if I should take the jump and go public with my true name?
2. Should I stay on the topic or move around. I know this is bigger than just racism, the divide and conquer technique we are seeing that incorporates racism and race baiting is just a tool in the class war. Should I go on at length about this, or just stay on the topic of the Right Wing politicians and pundits inability to do anything but expose themselves as the racists that they are?
3. Should I tear the DLCers, Blue Dogs and ConservaDem crowd a new ass for their complicity in ceding power to the GOP and the Right Wing Noise Machine and not standing up Loudly about and against this, or should I stick to the subject directly and hand, which is kicking the hell out of Republicans (rhetorically, not physically, of course)
4. Should I address the media’s complicity in this issue, or the politicians on both sides, or both?
Again, any advice or support you can offer is greatly appreciated, and I hope you tune in.
Thank you for all your support, and I wish you and yours the best.
Be Excellant to one another, as you always have been. Truly, that is the best advice I have ever seen or been given, and I will certainly mention it on air tommorrow night.
Cheers to all
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I’ll take any and all.
With Love, and Ponies!,
MoT
1. Keep the anonymity.
2. Stay on target.
3. Yes.
4. Hit the corporate media.
goes I think tying it into the larger context an example of the larger context is a good idea. People tend to fix on issues without seeing that it is just a piece of the real issue. No need to ramble on just link it to the larger picture, you do that really well in your writing.
Yes on 3 and 4, it also relates. I’m sick of playing on their field we won you know.
Break a leg is what I tell my musician husband when he’s off to perform, so break it! Thank you and thank you for using your fame (lol) and megaphone to yell louder for not only us, but for the common good we so desperately need. Every eyeopener counts. Maybe they’ll put you on Rachael Maddow’s show.
…you’ve gotten good advice here. I know you’ll do fine. Good luck, yell loudly, give them excellence and ponies!
…you should get up to speed on the Van Jones fiasco. I know Van, not well, but have spoken with him throughout the years at peace & justice events. Van is a decent, honest, principled, hard working man of integrity. It is a tragedy that right wing liars and slanderers have been allowed to ‘remove’ him from office. It is a sad comment on the state of our country that this can happen, that Obama has allowed it to happen.
Here are a couple of links:
BAR, “The Van Jones Affair”
A video and information from Robert Greenwald’ “Brave New Foundation”: video
From an e-mail from “colorofchange”
I’ll have to make sure to listen in tomorrow night.
Congrats!
No, I can not nor have the resources to protect the extended family I hold dear.
Watch for, since it is a media event, the steering of opinions/debate/thoughts/memes and or whatever.
Everything coming out of media in the English language is propaganda, the “Illuminati” blew up all THREE trade center towers and those very same people run both left and right political parties, the platforms of those parties and the social engineering think tanks which mold “public opinions” on both sides.
Ah, that’s my take on things after consulting everything from Nostradamus to my Apocalyptic horse. Peace and good luck.
on the great opportunity.
on Point 2, I’d try to put Racism within the larger context
of Obstruction, and Hypocrisy.
And perhaps even the context Fear and Desperation of the Wingers
as they see their lunacy-leaders, loosing power.
Yes, Highlight some examples of Racism, maybe the worse ones (?)
and then just to the danger it poses, to stoke that Racism (ie Blind Hate)
(ala. Tim McViegh, the Tiller assassination, etc)
But then paint that as just the “extreme fringe”,
of a much larger problem —
the dis-engagement, and dis-respect for democracy —
and just plain Tantrum-throwing, by the wingnuts.
If would be cool if you could tie it into MLK’s Dream as well,
since that is likely the historic source for all that current-day Angst, that the Birthers & co are feeling.
On points 3 & 4) combine them
Use the Context of Media Ads & Lobbyists, as the core Problem,
and the Blue Dogs, etc. as a symptom of the larger “Special Interest” problem — and they can exploit, their conserva-viewpoints, due demise of fact-based Journalism, etc.
my advice anyways, FWIW
Once again congrats MoT!
Here’s to seizing those Opportunities, dude.
while they’re there
PS. Look for that next window,
that this Door could lead too.
1) Stay on topic, but, take the opportunities presented during the discussion when given to discuss other topics.
Don’t be afraid to go into other topics when they present the opportunity.
2) Have your facts ready and make note cards.
During a discussion, your mind will wander, and what you wanted to discuss will suddenly lose itself as your mind tries to go elsewhere. Have note cards so you can refer to them.
3) Maintain decorum during the talk.
Don’t get into name-calling, simply present the facts and opinion.
4) Talk about how the blogs have given a voice to the people.
You have a voice, and your voice has been heard because of the blogs. Make sure you highlight how peoples voices are now being heard in a way that in the past they couldn’t be.
5) Don’t be afraid of “outing” yourself.
If you believe what you say, then don’t be afraid of putting your name to it. First, it debunks the myth that only anonymous people blog. Second, it shows conviction to your words. Third, it gives you the opportunity to talk about how many start out on blogs under a psuedo-identity, getting them active in politics, and how that initial activity can lead to real activism.
6) Rehearse.
It’ll do you good.
begin your answers with strong, unequivocal words, like “Yes” or “No,” then explain why you think that way – try to rattle off your reasons in clear bullet points. When asked a question, answer the darn thing! Use personal experience if it helps. I’d keep your anonymity – no benefit as far as I can see by outing yourself, and more than a few disadvantages I can think of. Congrats!!
wonderful opportunity!
By all means, reveal yourself to everyone. For one, I would like to know who you are, but that is a selfish urge on my part. Much more importantly, your credibility will be much greater is folks can identify you a an actual person. If you are not ready to do that, then reconsider going on air.
I think that you should stay on the topics that you know well. Any venture into something of which you are unsure will surely come to haunt you, and neither you nor the progressive community need that. If you are well versed in a subject, go for it. Otherwise, it is not improper to say, “I am not familiar enough with that subject to make a useful comment.” But, I caution you, that can only be used a couple of times or you will come off as not knowing much about anything. This is the fence that I straddle every Sunday evening writing Pique the Geek. One must have knowledge of many things, but full expertise in a few things is required. I am not sure if you know, but I NEVER look up anything during comment time on Sunday evenings, I just dance naked, but I also say either that I speculate or that I do not know.
We all know that the Republicans are members of the Party of “No”. I fully support you in attacking the Blue Dogs. They are worse than the Republicans, because they are not so overt. Just do your homework. My “Senator”, Blanche Lincoln, voted against cloture just yesterday.
Insofar as the media go, I have only this to say (other than you going after them). “Media” is the plural form of “medium”, hence me saying “…as the media go…” just above. I want you to look like the intellectual that you are and use the proper noun-verb agreement. For example, one medium is the radio, and another is the printed kind. Yet another is the TeeVee (sorry, I like that term), and there is also the internet. Taken together, they (and other components) form “The Media”, but each component is a medium. I want you to look smart, and I know that you are. This is just so common an error (even our revered Mr. Olbermann gets it wrong most often) that I thought that I should point it out to you before you get air time.
As an example, you might say to you host, “Well, thank you for having me on this wonderful medium. I appreciate it.”, or some such words.
I need a sponsor for a show. I was just watching Michio Kaku on the Science Channel and it came to me that I could do a show like that just as well, but I would not talk about theoretical physics, but the everyday things that we encounter. I respect Michio very much, but most of us touch high fructose corn sweeteners, trans fatty acids, and non-nutritive sweeteners more often than we touch the stars. If you get a chance, and if you are interested, please tell the producers about Translator.
I think that you will do fine. Just remember to discuss what you know, and shed the leading questions elsewhere.
Good luck!
By the way, it is spelled “excellent”, not “excellant”. I am having trouble getting this to post, but will keep trying.
Warmest regards, my friend,
Doc
1. That’s entirely up to you, but you might have to do some CYA if you go public to protect yourself from harassment from the right. You’re targeting racists for your attention, and racists are neither nice nor smart people.
2. Work out your topical “wiggle room” with your interviewer ahead of time so that you’re not blindsiding her or grabbing the platform she’s giving you for something else without her knowledge and consent. It’s only polite.
3. Yes, yes, and yes. There’s no excuse for complicity on either side of the aisle. Of all people, the Democrats should know better.
4. Again: yes.
Congratulations and best of luck. I look forward to listening!
You will be great!
and writing are different. Breath. Focus on the question and answer from your heart.
Well deserved.
1-Up to you, but you get way more credibility out. You also can attract whack baskets. I’m out, but I am no one.
2-A decent interview will lead you. Take a breath and speak pointedly in answering, but insert tidbits of where you want to go in the answer. That allows them to ask about it. They may or may not want to go far afield, and if you lecture or speak overlong, making them cut you off, they won’t ask you back.
3-Its a great driving point, that you can say was your overall viewpoint which lead to this essay, an essay that was just one EXAMPLE of where they should have grown spine, jumped in and kicked ass.
4-As long as you frame it “some” or “most” and exclude present company you can. As long as they don’t feel your soiling THEIR rug.
Now, my radio is friday night, 6 PM eastern, so I don’t know if I can stream it live… but make sure you get a podcast so we can listen after.
Maybe next week you could come on our show, where you can rant freely to all 12 of our listeners. (we do average 80 or so d/l a week, though 🙂
Wow, solicited advice, feels funny, doing that.
You will rock, love to you!
Diane!
Maybe you could ask out loud why the “progressives” have seemingly dropped their demand for a “ROBUST public option,” and suggest that they take up said demand again.
I’ve contemplated for almost an hour the pithy advise I could pass on. Then it occured to me, I’ve enjoyed the things I’ve read from you on DKos. You’re plenty smart enough to know your own thoughts on how rediculous alot of the anti-Obama retoric is.
One thing only tho. Alot of these August circus folks are just confused. They are caught up in a class war that they have a little inkling about, except being on the downer side of that war. Not knowing enough to think thru the debate between corporate personhood vs. being a real breather and how it is drowning us all is just far beyond words. It becomes pure emotion and they will find the easiest prey to jump on.
I think that is why so many allow someone like Rush/Hannity/Beck to tell them what and how to think.
And congrats!
is taking control of the situation before you arrive.
I always did this (I’ve presented before a couple of National Academy of Sciences, national TV (8 hours straight once on Vietnamese TV in regards them rejoining the international community prior to dropping the international embargo), assemblies of government, etc):
Before hand: memorize the pattern of your talk topic-wise, start to finish, but do not commit to literal words (you already have this material down cold. It won’t abandon you when you have passion). Then, you can effortlessly adjust to your interviewer as this thing unfolds.
a) do not yell your message, let the content of your message do the talking. Use your hands (one at a time) very slowly to guide people to your conclusion. No waving, or pointing. Calmly, with an open palm up, fingers together, slowly point them homeward, lol. Turning your palm down and pointing is combative, be careful with that. Also be careful of your distance to the interviewer (in a studio booth, it’s easy to violate her personal space. Don’t do it). Use this trick (palm up, guide) to control or meter the pace of your speech. We always speak much faster than we think we do.
b) stay calm and focused, as if you are the adult in control of the situation. Keep good posture, but relax. Like you’re sharing a good tale with the interviewer. Keep your head as still as possible, eyes focused on your interviewer. Moving your head around will change the tone and inflection of your voice over an electronic media.
c) always speak as if you live within the solution (centered people have the calmness and maturity needed to resolve almost anything), not the discoverer of the issue (hands waving, franatic expression, lol). Don’t negotiate with the interviewer over the existence of the issue, resolve it to simply haggling over the price of your solution.
d) Steer! Always steer the interviewer to your grounds and keep them off theirs. We used to call this “the Push”. Remember: they want to know what you think, not the other way around. You OWN this. Be polite and just take over smoothly. Your dime.
e) be firm and absolutely certain of yourself, but do not use loose or slang type language. Inside jokes do not work well over electronic media and will confuse the bejeebus out of viewers/listerners/ etc. Don’t waste their time. A little bit of sarcasm goes a long way over electronic media and very few folks can pull it off cleanly. Be careful with it.
f) do not smile too much, it can easily come off poorly on electronic media (even radio). Somber, but gracious, and always spot on the Truth. People will follow then, even the moderate resistance. Hardliners in opposition will never be convinced. Walk right through them and never ever apologize to them for what you think is right. NOTE below.
g) if the interviewer goes combative, DO NOT FOLLOW. Its easy to get sucked into saying something like “Glen Beck is a moran with wimpy sauce”, but it will nullify the gravity of your message. Discount stuff like that as an outlier. Maginalize the target (“well, Mr. Beck has to live with his own choices, and they are obviously ones most reasonable people could not, or would not, ever make…”), regain the grounds (“I want to raise my family in a civil society…”), and re-enforce the seriousness of the debate (“but unfortunately, this distraction is making that increasingly diffcult…”).
h) have fun with it. You may just amaze yourself, with what you are capable of.
In regards subject matter, use your best judgment. You already own this material. Do what you think best. We trust your judgment.
In regards Blue Dogs though, %^&$%^ #%$#%$ &^*^% (^%&^%&^%, and another thing, #@$%%& *)(**(&&*^%$#. Whew, better ask somebody else for advice on them. Maybe “forgive them father, for they know not what they do”. Personally, I think in terms of chainsaws. “Reeeeeee! Come here Evan. Here chickie chickie chickie. Reeeeeeee! Buzzzzzzzzz! Honey, looks like fried blue dog for dinner.”
LOL
Break a leg! It’s showtime.
NOTE: if the interviewer goes Al Franken on you, you’ll have to adjust some. The straightman to the comedian routine goes off well. Laugh at their jokes, just don’t go there with them though (“Hey Al, pull my finger, lol” will destroy your message). Don’t come off stiff like a tobacco lobbyist if this is the style though, lol. I’ve seen Al paralyze folks before, lol. But do bring it back on topic after the yuck yuck.
… what you said about how we can’t have hope without accountability.
I thought that was catchy!
Congrats, and good luck and all that!!!
Yours is an important voice, and I’m so glad you’re getting a larger audience.
Break a leg!
Can’t wait to hear your take on the experience.
Just be calm and take your time answering questions. You will do great!
While you have heard to stay calm, and to breathe, no one has mentioned how to breathe. The trick is to use your diaphragm and your lower lungs, with a slower cadence. This relaxes the solar plexus and keeps the adrenaline levels down, and believe me the adrenaline is going to be flowing. Prior to going on, meditate if you have this in your personal bag of tricks. If not, try to remain relaxed, use your diaphragm to pull down, sticking your stomach out, then pull your shoulders back slightly, filling your upper lungs, exhale by allowing your stomach to comeback in first, then relaxing your upper chest. Try to reduce the number of breaths to 6-8 breathes per minute. This will do wonders in respect to keeping you calm and focused, and prior to going on, focus on nothing but light coming and going with every breath, filling you with the wisdom of the universe.
You have the chops, the knowledge and the desire for your message to be heard, go out and dazzle them.
One last thought on the outing thing. You are being invited on to speak about, primarily, racism. Mention the fact that racists are very vindictive, and at this point your family is too important to be exposed to any retribution which a wingnut racist could dream up in their demented mind.
Be well.
What I hear you saying is that you’d like not to go back to being a “wage slave,” that what you really want is to be a writer/journalist who gets paid what s/he’s worth, and that the reason(s) for keeping anonymity are so you can get a job you don’t really want so you can pay the bills. I think I’m understanding this.
I wouldn’t be who I am if I didn’t tell you that this AA visit is a great first step in building what you want to do, and that if you want to do what you say you want to do, putting your name out there now and keeping it out there is probably imo going to be necessary. You want to do well on the show, you want to be on other shows, you want more cred, you want more readers, you want more offers for shows and on and on. If you think about it, this might be a golden opportunity to launch yourself on your new career. This might be the launch.
What may hold you back from going all out now that you’ve been given this opportunity, is holding onto a “back door.” In other words, you need your anonymity only if you don’t go “all in” on making your new career, if it fails, if this is just your 15 minutes, etc etc.
I know it’s a whole lot easier for me, sitting in the peanut gallery to tell you who will be on the radio just to f*ck it and go for it, pedal to the metal, balls to the wall. But I wanted nevertheless to offer it as an idea.
What if instead of holding onto the past of wage slavery you treated this as the launch of the new MoT??
Whatever you decide, as they say in Germany, Halsundbeinbruch! MOre than break a leg, break your neck also.