Anyone can write a rant against the state of American democracy today. Anyone can talk trash about politicians, or bemoan the apathy of the electorate, the low turnout, the low attention span, the cynicism. How To Get Stupid White Men... is a guide to getting off one’s cynical ass and doing something about it. Over the past six months, William Upski Wimsatt has been working with a group of people who have hitherto engaged in myriad forms of social work and political activism to develop a strategy that will effect positive change on American society through the electoral process. Rather than taking to the streets, rather than "bombing [graffitting] the suburbs," Wimsatt and his colleagues plan to "throw the bums out." This book will tell the story of 19 such cases over the past couple of years and outline all the potential races for 2004, describing the tactics to be utilized in an array of contested races across the country by creating coalitions of gay, enviro, Black, Latino and other young groups of voters. The goal is to make this the most useful politically life-changing book any 15-35 year old could read this election year.
Anyone can trash-talk politicians or bemoan the apathy of the electorate, but How to Get Stupid White Men Out of Office explains how to silence that inner cynic and get active. For six months, a group of Latino, black, and other activists worked to develop strategies for positive change through the electoral process. Rather than taking to the streets, or "bombing the suburbs," these groups show how to "throw the bums out." This book tells the story of 19 cases of successful bum-bumping in the recent past. Examples include young Latino and American activists in Albuquerque, New Mexico, who helped swing a mayoral race and four city council seats; Richie Perez's work with the Justice for Youth Coalition and Prison Moratorium Project in halting construction of a youth prison in New York; and Bostonvote and Massvote's incredible work with low-income and immigrant communities to achieve massive spikes in voter turnout. Essays from 11 writers including Jackie Bray and Davey D share strategies for organizing young and marginalized voters to put progressive candidates in office. Included are lists of potentially close races and maps of key swing states and districts.
