Out of many, one.
It all began with friends and neighbors
In the small coastal town of Ketchikan, Alaska, ordinary Americans felt the same pressure many of us feel when we’re with our family, neighbors, and friends: the pressure to not talk about politics. But this concern was not as strong as their sense of connection. They found their voices, and they talked openly about the rising tide of Authoritarianism. They shared their perspectives on the former President’s betrayal of the constitution. They pondered his destruction of faith in the American democratic experiment. And they wondered, was there anything they could do?
They had the same concerns we all have whenever we dream of making a difference. They were probably too few in number to accomplish anything meaningful. They didn’t have enough time or money. Many felt they were too old to be activists, and besides, they didn’t even live in a swing state. But these Alaskans decided that however tough the challenge was, they’d just be tougher. They confronted their fears, set them aside, and made a commitment to work together to stop Trump.
From Anxiety to Action:
Making a Meaningful Difference
These regular people started meeting weekly in January to discuss how they could help stop Trump from being reelected. They reviewed the standard advice given to us ordinary folks whenever we want to make a difference in politics: go to another protest so that people driving by will hear a few words of whatever you’re chanting. Call your representative and hope that someone on their staff listens to most of your voicemail. Cast your one vote. Give a candidate your money, so that they can spend it on their messaging to voters.
These things can and do make a difference: Sometimes the local news will include that protest in their coverage of politics, which voters will see. A congressman’s communication team just might receive enough voicemails to change their rhetoric when talking to voters about a key issue. A candidate’s campaign might be able to afford one more billboard for voters to see, thanks to your donation.
The 2024 election is so extraordinary that this group of people didn’t want to wake up in November wishing they had done more. They decided to go beyond the usual advice given to individuals, and they got organized.
Sh!t Gets Real: Getting Official,
Organizing Resources, and Researching Success
These friends and neighbors formed “Voices for Reason PAC”, a non-partisan SuperPAC they could use to pool together resources from the community. They researched what paths to success were effective, even with limited spending. They found past research showed that postcard campaigns are more effective than commercial mailers, and already knew of a postcard campaign that was far more successful than what those past studies predicted: in 2020 an Alaskan postcard campaign to infrequent voters dramatically boosted turnout. That project relied on beautiful free art, capturing attention more effectively than the traditional election junk mail. And on the other side, a sincere, handwritten note. Voices for Reason knew they could repeat this succuss.
These friends and neighbors, now members of a greater cause, connected with local artists and with their extended community. Not with advertisements, but with genuine interaction: sometimes they’d call up an old acquaintance, sometimes a member at a pickleball game would talk about what they’re up to. People eagerly joined, and before long, there were over one hundred volunteer writers for the postcard campaign, 17000 postcards donated from local artists, and enough funds for the postage and other costs.
This rapid growth came about without any of the social media tools that so many organizations rely on. But these leaders knew that what they accomplished with old-school social interaction, could be repeated multiple times over with a digital presence. That’s why this website exists, and why you’re reading this blog.
The message is simple
Many Americans don’t know that E pluribus unum means Out of many, one, but it was very familiar to our Founding Fathers. These words symbolized their efforts in very challenging, very divisive times, and they made this phrase our nation’s traditional motto. You’ll find it on many of our nations symbols, and in 1873, when Americans looked for ways to heal from the divisiveness of the Civil War, they found in these 13 letters a reminder of our unity, and made it law that these 13 letters be stamped upon all our coins. These symbols reflect our values, so that we will remember to protect our values. The people of Voices for Reason, all volunteers, serve as a living testament to the power of E pluribus unum, a power that has repeatedly triumphed over tyranny.
The message is simple:
Out of many friends, family, & neighbors, one unified effort.
