aka Ken Smith: Thursday, November 7, 2024

In the early 1940s, in Nazi-dominated Berlin, unsigned postcards excoriating Hitler’s dictatorship began appearing around the city.#
The brutal Gestapo began to fear that a secret organization of political activists had successfully formed right under their noses.#
It was just a married couple, Elise and Otto Hampel, writing cards in their small apartment. Otto placed them when he was out walking.#
In repressive times, most people never speak, but those that do can have an amplified importance and can startle the powerful.#
Political science research tells us that elected officials often hear keenly the voices of those relatively few who call or write them.#
But to matter, those voices must have reach and staying power. They must be heard again and again, widely, or they will be ignored.#
The most basic way to have reach is to have partners repeating and amplifying the message, multiplying the audiences.#
Voices with reach and staying power. Active citizens with a wide group of partners. Skill with the communication tools.#
(Just for the moment ignoring the fact that some people have different access to elected officials than you and I have.)#

Last update: Thursday November 7, 2024; 10:02 AM EST.