[Reader-list] Lee Hirsch's Local Voices for Obama

[Naeem Mohaiemen]

An old New York friend Lee Hirsch (he directed AMANDLA, about south
african resistance music) is involved in this, one among many
pro-Obama efforts that even jaded New Yorkers are involved in. Please
get involved.

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Final 24 hours to support - 13 ground breaking new ads  are making a
difference in critical swing states
watch them-donate and pass it on:
http://truthandhope.org/localvoices/

With 6 days left, we know from past elections that we cannot sit back
for a minute - The only feeling I can equate this moment too is the
run-up to Nelson Mandela being elected the president of a newly free
South Africa . This email is to share and ask your support for the
pro-Obama  commercials I have been making that are  designed to reach
undecided's in  critical cities in three key swing states. This entire
campaign, produced through an all volunteer effort from over 100
people, through, authenticity integrity and location based messaging
is now making waves nationwide – If you do nothing else, please watch
them – so you know what I have been up to….

http://www.youtube.com/user/LocalVoices

Just over three weeks ago I began this project– I blasted everyone
about it and many of you have helped to make this happen! – I am
writing no so that you can see the outcome and appeal to you to help
us  make our goal of being able to air all these on network TV – where
it counts!  - We have 60 thousand left to raise and 3 days to do it in
– We are now receiving over  8 thousand per day thanks to everyone's
efforts and Arianna Huffington mentioning it in her blog this weekend
– Notably - we got an unexpected donation of five thousand ( the max
we can receive) from Michael Stipe and REM today – But truth be told
it is small contributions that have brought us to where we are – One
ad costs 44 dollars to run – And I am asking each of you to please
give at least that – You can even specify which ad and which state!–
with your help we will be over the top!  So here's what local voices
has done -

The Impact

In one week of running Local Voices ads in Joplin, a city of 50,000 in
southwest Missouri, a coalition came together within the city:  they
call themselves The Secret Society of Joplin Democrats.  They have
pledged that for every negative call or email response to a Local
Voices ad, they'll match it with dollars to run the ad again, meeting
intimidation with action. This has brought major media attention,
thousands of local dollars and on Sunday – the front page of the
Joplin Globe (the daily that circulates in more than 90 communities in
14 counties) ran a 4 page cover story on Local Voices  - and this is
just the beginning!  There  is a  dark side to this and Dana Snodgrass
who is featured in the first ad – has received threats – hate mail,
late night phone calls, calls for boycotts of his small business and
so on - 3 nights ago three shots were fired in Joplin, at the Obama
campaign headquarters while volunteer's were present  ( Let me know if
you want more info on this as it's quite hectic ) Yet the community is
rallying around Dana, red and blue and as I type this,  the story is
going national!

See Dana's ad:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2uIB2Xyysw

Read more on our blog: http://www.localvoicesforobama.com/impact.html

The Hope

We now need to take this grassroots ad campaign  to the next level.
Currently the ads are running at night on cable.  With your help, they
can be prime time, and reach more undecided viewers.  Can you help?

1) make a donation up to $5000 here:
http://truthandhope.org/donate.htm  (Select Local Voices)

2) let as many people know about this as possible, especially people
in the press and people who still have any money.

3) contact me at lee.hirsch at verizon.net if you have any big ideas.


Here's what we can do with what if we meet our goal:

$111,000 will enable us to show the Local Voices message to 63.8% of
likely voters in key regions of MO, NV and OH, and they'll see the ad
an average of 3.5 times.  Our message will be aired through 11 cable
networks and 6 broadcast networks.  It will be broadcasted to 8
million people.

It's extraordinary to think of the  $150 million Obama raised last
month was made through donations that AVERAGED $85 dollars. We are
involved in something truly grassroots, a turn of events that will
inspire generations to come. 2 weeks to go! All hands on deck!

MY best to all and may we celebrate next Tuesday night!

Lee