the voice of douglas county democrats august 2016 b l … · the voice of douglas county democrats...
TRANSCRIPT
The Voice of Douglas County Democrats August 2016
This is a confidential newsletter, but please share it with your Democratic friends!
B L U E N O T E S
Most photos in this edition taken by Kimi Cole, Patrick Wilkes, and Pat Stanley
CarlosPérez-Campbell,oneofNevada’srisingyoungDemocraticstars,willaddressDouglasCountyDemocratsThursday,Aug.25.Pérez-Campbellisapolitical
scienceandinternationalrelationsstudentatUNR.The20-year-oldisleadingaLyonCountycommitteetodraftwaystoimprovethecaucustoconventionprocessinNevada.HeisalsotheJielddirectorforLyonandChurchillcountiesfortheChipEvansforCongresscampaign.CarloswasborninMexicoand
raisedinFernley.Hebecameinvolvedinpoliticslast
yearasamemberoftheLyonCountyCentralCommittee.TheCentralcommitteemeeting
beginsatwithsocialtimeat6:30p.m.Thebusinessmeetingstartsat7:00p.m.
Young Democrat to address DCDCC Aug. 25
INSIDE • BBQ photos • Kimi’s convention photo • Profile (Andrew Simons) • Calendar of events
The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — August 2016 Page 2
Our 2016 BarbecueLeft: Some of the crowd at this year’s Democratic Barbecue, held in Genoa.
Center: Mark Twain, portrayed by McAvoy Layne, addresses Douglas Democrats.
Bottom: Some of the approximately 130 folks who attended the event.
The convention (Photo by Kimi Cole)
From the Chair ...
The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — August 2016 Page 3
Confessions of aSystem ‘Rigger’
The words, “It was rigged,” seem to be almost ubiquitous these days. I realize, in context, and in many cases, I have indeed been party to rigging my own life, as often as possible, and for a long time. This is my confession. When I was a kid I was never one chosen for the sports teams or, for that matter, much of anything else. But I always wanted to be and wondered what it would take to change my apparent lack of appeal.
As I got a bit further along in life, I learned ways to be “chosen for the team.” I learned how to get along with other people. I learned how to get involved with activities that I was passionate about, that I had an aptitude for, or both. I even learned that when I was involved in things that I was not particularly good at, or for which I had no particular talent, that I could often still get the tasks completed successfully by working longer or harder than anyone else.
(Continued on Page 4)
The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — August 2016 Page 4
KIMI (continued from previous page)
Before my trade skills were developed, I started working before other crews arrived in the morning and often worked long after all others had gone home for the day. Sometimes I worked for free, just to get my foot in the door. Rigged all the way, I tell ya!
I learned how to persist, even when the first glimpses of opportunity did not open up welcomingly. Or the second. Or sometimes the third. And yet, eventually, doors did open and successes often followed. Was it skill? Or raw talent? Or luck? Or possibly dogged determination to accomplish something? Or, as some said, I must have “rigged” the situations that led to successes?
It didn’t seem to matter if I practiced harder and longer, dedicated myself more fully and came out leading the pack. There have been times when I accomplished something, and along came those who put the successes down as “getting lucky,” or even cheating. Of course, many who gave me the most grief early
on were also the ones who would later come to me when they needed work. They needed to work and I had work to offer. I MUST have figured out how to rig the entire business environment!
Another question I hear surprisingly often- don’t you ever do anything for fun? Perhaps activities that I am involved with may not seem like fun to those who are asking. In volunteer work, nothing is mandatory. But, if I did not thoroughly enjoy what I do, I would not be doing it! Rigged?
To the outside world, what often appear as successes are little more than chapters in a book of life, whose pages continue to turn, regardless of what we might desire (or think we desire) at the time. Realizing that puts everything into context- successes, as well as apparent failures, are fleeting at best. The pages must continue to turn.
As for me, I believe I’ll just get back to rigging life and living to the fullest- care to join me?
(LEFT): How many Democrats does it take to stop an elevator in Philadelphia? According to our impromptu (and completely unintentional) experiment, apparently it’s 14!
The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — August 2016 Page 5
Andrew Simons
Democrat Profile:
Andrew Simons has put his culinary education on the back burner for the rest of this year to work as Coordinated Campaign Organizer for Douglas County.
He’s 31 years old and figures he has plenty of time for studies he hopes will lead to his operating or owning a food service business — possibly a restaurant “that showcases sustainable food production practices.”
But for now his studies at the culinary school at Truckee Meadows Community College are on hold.
He’s been assigned to work in the Reno area, his home since he could barely walk, but hopes to begin full time work in Douglas County very soon.
He moved to Reno only a few months after his birth in St. Cloud, Minn.
Andrew’s interest in Democratic politics dates back to 2008, when he volunteered for the John Edwards presidential campaign.
Later, he joined the Hillary Clinton bandwagon.
Andrew’s own resume includes volunteer work for LGBT causes in Wyoming.
After finishing high school in Reno, he joined the U.S. Navy, and like the recruiting posters say, “I saw a lot of the world.”
But what he saw was not always the world’s better sides. “I saw things I felt could be changed with better public policy,” he said. “I decided to get involved.
Meet Andrew Simons
“It all has to do with values,” he continued. “Democrats are so much (my) sort of people.”
He will be organizing GOTV (get-out-the-vote) efforts in Douglas County, building volunteer forces, and “everything I can do to close the voter registration gap in Northern Nevada.”
A lot of local Democrats had their first opportunity to meet him after he spoke briefly at last month’s Douglas County Democratic Barbecue, held in Genoa.
Keep your eyes open for him, and say “hello.”
Leaning a bit to the left
Road Rage … Grrrrrrr!
The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — August 2016 Page 6
Yesterdaywhileawaitingmyturnatastopsign,acaronmyrightslowedtoonlyabout20mphthensailedthrough.
NotthatIhaven’trunastopsign,butthiswasintentional.Iwasgoingtoblastmyhorn,yell,andmaybe“wave”athim,butdidn’t.InsteadIdecidedtoseehowmanyviolationsIcouldspotonmyshortdrivefromJohnsonLanetomidCarsonCity.
IoftendriveuptoaboutJivemphoverthelimit,butthisdayIsetmycruisecontrolat65.That’sthelimit.Virtuallyeverysinglecarbehindmepassedme.Afewgaveme“thewave.”Onealsohonked.Howdaremeobeythelaw!Itgotworsewherethelimitwasreducedto45.
ThenIspottedanNHPcarbythesideofthehighway.Suddenlyeveryonesloweddown…wayBELOWthepostedlimit,whichcanbejustasdangerous.
WhenIgottotherightturnatFairview,theredrightturnarrowwason.Thesigns(therearetwo)statequiteclearly“noturnonredarrow.”
Icouldn’tbelieveit.Notone,nottwo,butJivecarsdisregardedthesignalandmadearightturn.TwomadeafullstopJirst.Theotherseithersloweddown,orjustplainblewonthrough.Ofcourse,therewasnocopin
sight.Icontinuedtobe“GoodieTwo
Shoes”behindthewheel.
Irecalledthenightbeforewatchingawomantakehertwochildrenbythehand,thenleadthemacrossaroadway,jaywalking.Theyweremaybe25feetfromasignalizedintersectionwithcrosswalksand“walk/don’twalk”signs.Whatalousymessageshegaveherkids.Mypointis,peoplejustdon’t
seemtoobeythelaw.Maybeit’sinconvenient.Idon’tknow.ButwhenIwasgrowingupmyfolksandmyteacherstaughtmetorespectthelaw,nomatterhowtrivialitseemedatthetime.ThosementorsmademethegoodliberalIamtoday!Howcanwebecriticalof
otherswhenwedon’tfollowtherulesourselves?Ohwell.Oh,oh,I’mlatetoan
appointment.WillIspeedtoit?Hopenot.Nextmonth:petpeeves.Send
meyours:[email protected]’llkeepyourname
conJidential.OK?
Timely Ticklers
The voice of Douglas County, Nevada Democrats — August 2016 Page 7
Your DCDCC Officers ...Chair of DCDCC: Kimi Cole ([email protected])First Vice Chair: Mike AvilaSecond Vice Chair: Susan MinorSecretary: Melanie Meehan-CrossleyTreasurer: Jan WallsMember-at-large: Patrick WilkesMember-at-large: (To be elected this month)
Chairs of Standing Committees:Administration Katherine WinansPrograms/Policy: Kimi ColeMembership: Katherine WinansCandidate Recruitment: Nancy EpsteinPublicity/Public Relations: Pat StanleyFundraising/Finance: (Your name here)
Thursday, August 25Central CommitteeSocial: 6:30 p.m.Meeting: 7:00 p.m.Democratic Headquarters1513 Hwy 395 N., Gardnerville
Friday, August 26Women’s Equality Day
Saturday, August 27State Central CommitteeLas VegasVideo conferencing in Reno (Location TBA)
Saturday, October 1Informational Meeting hosted by Nevada Rural Democratic Caucus90 N. Maine St., Fallon1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.RSVP by September 26: Nyla Howell at: [email protected]: (775) 867-4229
Tuesday, November 82016 General Election