We did it! The Blogosphere raised $50,000 for Spirit of America. You guys rock, thank you for hitting the site, participating in auctions, donating directly or playing my lame games. A special thank you to John Donovan, Michele Catalano and Dean Esmay, awesome team leaders all.
The WSJ's Dan Henninger has been following the progress of SOA's fund raising effort to equip a TV station and people-to-people projects in Iraq and Afghanistan, here's a photo and the the money graphs for those who do not subscribe.
The grand response to the Spirit of America request says to me that the public understands that we are there in Iraq and the job now isn't to debate its value but to get the job done. Most Americans don't want to be one of the partisan bobbleheads on television. They want to be part of a genuine homefront, helping. One who responded to the Spirit of America appeal, Dick Kampa of Tucson, Ariz., put it this way:
"My sense is that there are many who would support civilian, home-front activity that would bolster troop morale and communicate to the Iraqi people that we really are their friends. Putting a political label on such activity would be counterproductive. I think Democrats and Republicans should, and many would, unite in these activities. Perhaps we need rallies or community meetings linked to constructive actions like funds for impactful projects in Iraq, adopt-a-communities, collection of goods, bandage rolling, etc., things that involve people across America."
You know for a fact that if Laura Bush undertook any such homefront effort, it would be dissected and mocked as hokey and irrelevant. Too bad. I don't think most Americans want to debate woulda, coulda, shoulda just now. They want to win. Spirit of America is a start, but someone high in the Bush administration ought to start thinking of ways to let more people pitch in.
I agree, President Bush should call upon Americans to get involved and use the bully pulpit to raise the profile of the many heroic efforts already undertaken by ordinary people who want to contribute. If a small cadre of bloggers can raise $50k in a week, imagine what a WH photo op or a press mention would do for Spirit ofAmerica. The latest polls indicate that 47% of us think the war is worthwhile, that is one hell of a force for good.
Just ask us, Mr. President, use the force.
Posted by feste at April 30, 2004 07:08 AM | TrackBack