[NextGenderation]
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In Ani DiFranco's new poem, "Grand Canyon" she says,
"I love my
country/ by
which I mean / I am indebted joyfully / to all the
people throughout
its
history / who have fought the government to make
right". This fall's
VOTE
DAMMIT! tour is an extension of that gratitude and a
recognition that
there
is still much work to be done. Inspired by the low
turnout in the last
presidential election, Ani decided to tour through the
"swing states"
and
encourage everyone to vote in this year's election.
In the spirit of this, like-minded artists and
progressive politicians
have
joined forces with Ani to promote the vote. Former
presidential
candidates
Dennis Kucinich and Howard Dean will speak at some of
the shows. Most
stops
on the tour will feature a progressive candidate for
the U.S. Senate or
House of Representatives. Comedian Margaret Cho will
be joining Ani for
shows in Minneapolis, Madison, and East Lansing while
Suzanne
Westenhoefer
brings the laughter to earlier tour stops. Musicians
and political
activists Indigo Girls will perform as special guests
at the New
Orleans,
Memphis, and Eureka Springs dates. Songwriter Dan Bern
will open many
of
the shows as well.
The VOTE DAMMIT! tour will strive for 100% voter
registration of the
audiences. Feminist Majority Foundation be
spearheading the voter
registration drive at the shows. Progressive Democrats
of America and
Rock
the Vote will also bring the power of their volunteers
on tour to
register
voters. Along with these national organizations, the
tour will be
joined by
local and regional peace and justice, civil rights,
environmental, and
other progressive organizations to register voters and
educate people
about
these issues. All organizations involved in the tour
will receive
tickets
to use in their own registration drives and a portion
of the proceeds
from
each ticket sold will be donated to Feminist Majority
Foundation.
The idea is simple: government is not just for the
folks on Capitol
Hill.
We have the power and the right hard fought for to
participate in
the
decisions made in our country. We need to participate
for this country
to
be a true democracy. This November we get the chance
to choose who will
make momentous decisions in our name. This September
we're getting
together
to laugh about it, sing about it, talk about it. Then
we are going to
Vote,
Dammit!
From:
http://righteous-babe.com/ani/votedammit.asp
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