“How many people do you think are here?”, asked the local
news reporter at the site of the event?
“Wow, there must be well over 1000! How did this happen?”,
replied her camera man as they prepared to file a report about what they were
witnessing.
The scene was at the official headquarters of Darrell Issa,
the California republican congressman. A
flash mob of over 1000 young people were there to voice their disapproval of
the congressman’s position on global warming.
The huge assembly of millennials were very vocal and energetic, but
peaceful and respectful of the property they were occupying. But there was no doubt in the mind of any
observer that they were upset, focused, and dedicated to communicating clearly
their anger at how tone deaf their congressman seemed to be to his
constituency.
The crowd represented a demographic that could not be sold
on the idea that if they were unhappy, just wait until the next election and
vote Issa out. They were old enough in
spite of their youth to know that option rarely produces actual results. They used and responded to the tools of their
time and understanding, namely social media.
The word spread in a flash that this protest rally was going to
happen. They also knew that the practice
of swarming a home base site of a legislator would be impactful, and was
probably something that should happen repeatedly and not just once. They mobilized early enough in the day that
the congressman’s staff were still at work in the office.
It was noticed by all who were close enough to see that the
staff inside the building was lined up in the windows with worried, if not
panicked, expressions on their faces.
And of course they were all either talking on their cell phones, snapping
pictures, or texting as fast as their fingers could move. This was working! A new and effective method of political
expression was being born on the spot.
Was their finally hope of being heard by the elitist government
officials?
Tune in to your local news channel and see what is being
said.
Did this actually happen?
No, but it really could, couldn’t it?
And it really should. We all know
the people can take back their power if the really want to. The technology of today can go a long way
toward supporting those who choose to make a difference and communicate that
the status quo should not feel safe and secure any more.
