THE IMPACT
Local Voices make news! Local Voices share with us their IMPACT!

Sunday, November 2, 2008
KOAM TV 7 Joplin and Pittsburg News: Local Ad Controversy
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Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Local Voice - Joan McKinney from Columbus, Ohio writes to us

Alicia, I've been meaning to send you a long, meaningful note to thank you and your brotherly crew for the kind and nurturing way you listened as I tried to communicate my feelings about the election and my choice of Barack Obama. (but remember, I have a small business and many things have required my attention this week - I finally got the dishes done Monday morning!) Since you were here, I've told so many people about my experience and what an incredible opportunity it was to play a part in this wild process we call the American Presidential Election! Whether they were already Obama supporters, or McCain backers, or undecided - all were proud of me for participating. And isn't that what we want? More POSITIVE, grassroots, participation in the process! In high school, I had an art teacher, Mr. Wemmer, who would come into class and announce something like "There were no good women artists!". A few of us, (both male and female) would get so angry arguing with him that we would go to the library, look up all the women artists and come back to class armed with tons of information!! He'd let us present our findings to the class and then he would lean back, with a wicked little grin, and say, "Oh, I guess I was wrong"! He was a great influence in my quest for TRUTH! My father-in-law would go to the doctor for his annual physical and the doctor would prescribe all kinds of medication, schedule multiple follow up appointments and tests. Though he never fully understood what the medication was for, or the tests, he wouldn't question, because that's what the doctor said he should do. My point is this - participating in the process means that you don't just take the word of someone you think is in authority. You do the research! I really felt like I did the research this time. I read the books, I read the plans, I listened to the debates, and pundits and blogs and talked to friends and peers and family - and then I made my decision. I know that because of Local Voices, I've been successful in getting others to do the research, too. AND some minds have been changed. I don't have any control over what he'll do once he's in office, but I feel like I have made a good choice in voting for Barack Obama. And I am hopeful (oh, the audacity of it all!) that he will continue to be a positive, youthful, intelligent, caring, voice that represents the United States of America - and ME! It has been an incredible honor to have participated in this process with Local Voices - and you! Please let me know what else I can do to help the Voices be heard. I wish you continued success in all that you do, and thank you again. Enthusiastically, Joan Gaudion McKinney

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Local Voice - Barclay Hastings from Columbus, Ohio writes to us

I had coffee with Captain Bill Rausch, Vet. Coordinator for Dem Party, Ohio. He passed the web site along to one of his money people asking him to donate. I haven't heard back from him of the results. The Mayor of Columbus and his people like the spot and want to get it aired. The executive director of the Franklin County Democratic party states funds are being raised to get this spot on the air. Even my Republican friends and family except my brother are impressed with the quality of your work and the impact.  He won't comment. Yet. I think the spot has created a stir and has had a positive impact on people's thinking who have watched. Bill Rausch has sent it out to 800 vets in Ohio. O'Bama will most likely ask you and your brothers to film the inaugural. So far, all is good. Everyone that I know of who has watched the spot likes it. Barclay

Tuesday, October 28, 2008
DailyKos.com: Local Voice being attacked in Missouri for standing with Obama.
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Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Local Voice - Dana Snodgrass from Joplin, Missouri writes to us

Lee, The response to your video has been excellent. I just wanted to let you know that we struck a nerve with a lot of people. A good friend of mine, and an architect in Joplin, came by to see me after seeing the commercial and just wanted to let me know that he's always voted republican, but enough is enough and he's finally decided to vote for Barack because he's tired of the lies and deception. Some people have called my business and said that I was crazy for making a statement publically about politics when I own my own business, but they admired my courage. This morning, I had a phone call from a prominent Joplin businessman who just wanted to let me know that he really admired me and that I wasn't standing alone, and that there were other people who felt like I did, but were too big of cowards, just like him, to stand up and say something. He encouraged me to keep up the good work. Another customer of mine that I've known for several years, who is a Joplin Historian, called to let me know that I wasn't alone and he also knew a lot of people who supported me and felt the way I do, but were too afraid to say anything. He tried to encourage me to run for state office, but I told him...."maybe Mayor of Joplin", but he told me that I was way ahead of that. Early this morning, an elderly lady called me, my dad took the message and said I was busy. She said that it really wasn't about business. She called back later in the afternoon, and when I answered the phone, she wanted to know if I was the man who made the Obama commercial. I jokingly told her that it depended on whether she was an "Obama girl" or a "McCain girl". She said that she was 86 years old, but neither. Her comment to me was "Do you really want to see a Muslim in the White House?" I said, "What makes you think he's a Muslim?" She said "She had been listening to Shawn Hannity and he said he was, and other shows had also said that." I told her that "you don't always wanna believe everything that you hear and that I had researched it also, and found out that he's a Christian." She then informed me that her "boyfriend was 91 years old and from Alabama and that there were people down there that wouldn't vote for him, and that he (her boyfriend) had white sheets and a cross that he still had in his garage." I said "you wouldn't be just a little bit racist are you?" She just said that "there's just a lot of people that feel that way down there." Yesterday, I went to the farm to get a hay rake and stopped by a small convenience store, outside of Carthage, MO, and the lady cashier had a stack of newspapers at the front counter and I was on the front page. She said "are you that guy on the paper," and I said "yeah, that's me." I asked her if she had seen the video and she said that she hadn't. Then I asked her if she would be offended by my comment about the $10 an hour wages in Missouri being shameful. She said "she would be tickled to death to make 10 dollars an hour, because she was only making $6.75 an hour." She was a divorced woman making a payment on a house trailer and making a rent payment on the trailer lot and there wasn't any money left at the end of the month for any extras. She said that "she was definitely voting for change." Another one of my hay customers, who's a doctor in town, said that he saw my commercial and that I was a celebrity. I jokingly told him "I know you're a republican, you make way too much money. I probably just lost a good customer." He said that "he doesn't care about that stuff and I had nothing to worry about." He told me that "he liked the commercial and he'd always voted republican, but may have to change his way of thinking." On the negative side, a local radio news talk station, 1310 AM KZRG, really spun my comments trying to make it sound like I was degrading people for making $10 an hour. All of those comments can be read on their website, www.1310kzrg.com. My brother was driving to work and heard the morning broadcast of this show, and a lady called in and was really slamming me and saying that I didn't have any moral values. My daughter received a phone call from a male caller this afternoon telling her to let me know that I was a "f*cking liar who's doing nothing but going around and spreading more lies and that he knew of at least 50 different people who will never bring their car to you sons of bitches again," and then hung up on her. There have also been several negative comments on the Joplin Globe website about my commercial, but on the positive side, I had 2 customers in the waiting room of my business, one waiting for an alignment, the other was picking up his car. The one who was picking up his car was telling me how he saw my commercial. The other customer heard us talking and told me quietly that he was going to go door to door in his neighborhood hanging Obama information on the doors, but with the neighborhood he was living in he was afraid for people to find out that he was voting for Obama. I told him that I was proud of him. Another man called me from Pearidge, AR. He said that he wanted me to know that he saw my story online and that there were a lot of people in Arkansas who were supporting me and to keep up the good work and that I wasn't alone. So as you can see, it's been a busy day. I just wanted to let you know how effective the commercial has been. Thanks for all that you do, and have done! I'll call ya if I need bail money! Dana

Monday, October 27, 2008
LAist.com Interview: Alicia Dwyer, Filmmaker for Local Voices for Obama.
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Monday, October 27, 2008
Local Voice - Barclay Hastings from Columbus, Ohio writes to us

Alicia, You and your brothers, Michael and Jesse, are without a doubt, the quintessential film makers. What a team. Your comments on the Democratic Underground were so kind and thoughtful. This is your time to bring about change we need, this is your time to live in a country less divided, this is your time to accomplish what those of us in my generation could not. At the birth of this country, General Washington preserved his army until it was strong enough to take on the Hessians. (We have preserved our party). Washington was faced with two British forces. One in the North and one approaching from the South. Cornwallis' forces slaughtered a Colonial Regiment as he approached from the South This so enraged the Scot-Irish and untied these clans men to take Cornwallis on at King's Mountain. What you found on your venture to the heartland were pocket of democratic-like-clans similarly enraged by republican inept governance. You were able to unite them by your and others work on "Local voices". Your action, similar in effect to the battle for King's Mountain, where our ancestors were exhorted to "fight as individual boys" gave pause to the British cause.  Trading media for muskets and "Kentucky" long rifles, you has united pockets of democratic-clans to the consternation of the Republicans in our later day battle of Kings Mountain(Battle ground states). Well done Alicia, Michael and Jesse. Now it is up to "General" Obama to take the fight directly to them in these last few pivotal days. thank you again, Barclay

Monday, October 27, 2008
Local Voice - Sandy Austin from Fallon, Nevada writes to us

Hello John....I'm sending you this email today to Thank You for choosing me to appear in one of your commericals.   Just being in a commercial supporting Barack Obama was a dream come true for me.   Barack Obama is really down to earth and I was very impressed when I got to meet him in Elko. NV.   Only one Presidential Candidate has the intelligence, courage,vision,poise,and temperment to handle the job of POTUS and do it right.....Barack Obama.   Last Saturday was the first day of early voting here in Nevada....Of course I was there bright and early to vote for Obama...yeaaaa.   Joining the local Democratic Group here in Fallon was a goldmine of information for me, they taught me how to properly do door to door canvassing, phone skills and most of all Friendship.   It's great being around people who believe in Barack Obama as much as I do....it's really a privilege representing the Obama Campaign.   I also volunteered all summer for the Campaign and since I do Native American Bead work as a hobby.....I made Obama bracelets for the women in our Dem Group and they absolutely loved them.   People are always asking them where they got their bracelet and I'm happy to make one for them as well.  Since the commercial came out online and on TV I have been swamped with requests for the beaded Obama Bracelets and it's wonderful, but I can't handle 100 bracelets at a time.   The people just tell me they'll wait as long as it takes to get one.  I've received a request from Tokyo Japan for 25 bracelets from a woman who wants to give them as Xmas gifts.   Men have even requested the Obama Bracelet for themselves and I think it's great that Obama supporters truly believe in him.   John when you made the commercial  I felt like a STAR...haha.   I could've talked to you people for hours about Mr. Obama.   Well I've gotta do some domestic things right now, but take care and say hello to Allessandro for me too....Your Friend  Sandy Austin

 

Sunday, October 26, 2008
Arianna Huffington's Sunday Roundup.
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Saturday, October 25, 2008
Dana Snodgrass from Joplin, Missouri as seen in the Joplin Globe.
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Tuesday, October 21, 2008: Joplin, MO
Here's what a resident in Joplin, Missouri writes to us.

Joplin area residents fight back against the smears We live in an area where hate, fear, and misinformation influences decisions. There are huge email strings running through our community that ranges from inaccurate (Obama is a Muslim, Obama is secretly a terrorist, et al) to blatantly racist (Obama shining Palin's shoes via Photoshop, etc). Recently a group of Joplin area residents decided to fight back. A pair of film directors (one of which has four Emmys) came to Joplin and filmed four one-minute commercials featuring locals talking straight into the camera explaining who they are and why they are voting for Barack Obama. Some of these features citizens who traditionally voted for Republicans but have recently had a change of heart. About 60 local residents have committed to purchasing one ad spot for every smear email received that references inaccurate or racist material. This effort has already raised $1,000s for the Joplin ad campaign. In a clever way, each message of hate and misinformation has been transformed into a message of truth and hope. To see an example of the ad spots, check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B2uIB2Xyysw Joplin residents can contribute by going to: http://www.truthandhope.org/localvoices/ or here. The Joplin effort of converting hate, fear, and misinformation into a message of truth and hope has reached national coverage (NPR is in town today, actually), and 1000s of people have viewed these local commercials online. Toby, Missouri

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