Those that can, do. Others teach... And for bloggers: - Granite Grok

Those that can, do. Others teach… And for bloggers:

the flip should be – Those that can’t do more, blog….otherwise start DOING more!

Ok, Ok, calm down!  The message here is that while blogging is great to get a message out (that’s why we do what we do here at the ‘Grok), it is better to blog AND do.  I’d like to think that the ‘Groksters do both.  After all, if yer jus’ flapping yer gums (…tappin’ the keyboard?) you can be persuading someone to your side of thinking.  ‘Tis far better, however, to get out there and put the courage of your convictions and CHANGE THINGS for the better!

I found this over at TechRepublican by David All – one of the leading online lights for the conservative movement.  In it, he comments on another luminary that we have the privilege to know (and am trying to get him to come on MTNP to talk about it (hint, hint!), Erick Erickson from RedState.

Stop Being Pundits; Start Being Activists

One of the better speeches at the RightOnline Summit in Austin, Texas was given by Erick Erickson, the editor of the freshly designed and re-launched Redstate.com. (Looks good Erick.)

The thrust of Erick’s speech (download as PDF) was simple: Stop being pundits and start being (online) activists. Let’s dig in.

Erickson opened his remarks with the classic red meat which has helped brand Redstate as one of the top conservative outposts in the blogosphere:

There are people in this world who are morally and ideologically opposed to us. We call them the left. They are a group of people who want you to surrender your hard earned money so they can give it to someone else who did not earn it and probably would not need it, but for the their insistence on government dependence.

So for you conservative (and libertarians!) out there unhappy with the status quo?  Do something!  Yes, it takes time, No, you don’t know what your doing when you first start (find a mentor!). Yes, you can do this.  Yes, it will take time away from blogging (or reading blogs). And no, you will not be disappointed, over the long haul, when you look backwards to see what you can accomplish.

And yes, it will make a difference.  I am convinced that one person, with a single flashlight, can make a difference.  Why?  It shines attention on something that isn’t right – evil and malfeasance hate the light.  And, if you are stubborn, and can withstand the ridicule of those you know to be wrong anyways, others will come to help.  Some will follow, some will follow and break away for some reason or another, but you will draw help helpers like a bright light shining on a dark summer day.  They will come. 

But only if you get off your butt and DO something!

Erick’s quick talk after the jump.

Erick’s speech at RightOnline:

And we have the ability to collect everyone’s email address and when action must be
taken, send an email asking people to take action. I have a list of 8,000 names I can
email and ask people to take action. These are the 8,000 people who wanted to get
involved and signed up to get action alerts from RedState.

Believe it or not, the response rate is better from those 8,000 people than from the other
email list I have of a few hundred thousand people. Those 8,000 can tie up a
switchboard on Capitol Hill, they can write letters to the editor in their local paper, and
they can come back to RedState and share their news about what happened.

You can easily be a part of that list. Or you can choose another list. You can choose to
be a part of the RedState Community. Or you can choose to be a part of another online
community. Or you can choose to do nothing at all.

But let me tell you, while you decide to do nothing, the other side is marching from
Mordor to change your way of life. They have chosen to do something and the change
they want to bring is not change any free person should want.

In two years, the 50 legislatures of the several states will redraw the lines for the U.S.
House for the next decade. If you sit on the sidelines, the odds go up that those lines
are going to be drawn in someone else’s favor. With the Supreme Court in the balance,
this year is an important election at the national level. But your local races this year can
potential decide state legislative races in two years. And those state legislative races in
two years will decide Congress for ten years.

So you have a choice: get involved or not.

Go to RedState or one of the other sites out there. Start reading. Develop a feel for the
community. Then start writing. Give us your thoughts on your local sheriff. What’s he
doing. Give us your thoughts on your state representative. Become the person others
rely on for information.

Find what interests you. Start blogging about it. Cover the issue. Learn to do an open
records act request or learn to read campaign disclosures or learn to do both. Know
who you are up against. Be the person who raises the red flags. At least join the
conversation. You cannot sit on the sidelines and expect victory.
You don’t have to be the commander. You don’t have to do it full time. Just be willing to
lend a hand. Just be willing to stay informed. Just be willing to help others stay
informed.

People remember Paul Revere. Few people remember Dr. Samuel Prescott. At 1 a.m.
on April 19, 1775, Revere ran into Prescott, who was on his way home from a party.
Prescott was willing to help. Without Prescott?s knowledge of the farms surrounding
them, Revere’s task would have been all the more difficult that night. And when Revere
rode out into the countryside, Prescott stayed behind on the farms and in his town
rallying people, getting his brother to go to the next town to rally people. They were not
Paul Revere, but they joined him and added to his voice.

You do not have to be Paul Revere starting your own ride out into the night. You can be
Samuel Prescott. Just join us at RedState or elsewhere with knowledge of your
community and your issues and spread the word. Recruit your family and friends. Sign
up for our email alerts. Be willing to take action when the email comes. But more
importantly, start sharing, start collaborating, start communicating. It?s too important for
us to do nothing and too necessary to doubt and retreat.

We’ve beaten them before. We can do it again. And this time, we can do it online,
where they think they are strongest.

>