"Need A Ride" by Kathy Luttkus in Milwaukee.
Voting IS fun. Though seeing one's selected candidate lose is not.
Voting is exciting
Voting is your right and responsibility.
Getting educated is fun too. Well sometimes it makes you mad. So what? Better
to take control of your life and attempt to control our leaders than sit in
the dark and wonder why someone else has one hand on your light switch with
their other hand in your pocket.
It baffles me that people admit that someone isn't doing a good job but are
so afraid to try someone else. That's the part I don't understand. What if the
challenger isn't ideal? Then in four years you boot him (her) out too.
Back in elementary school I learned in Civics class that voting was not only
my right, but my responsibility. When I mentioned that to someone recently they
laughed. "Civics class? They haven't taught that in years." Now I
see, schools are practicing "all children left behind". Besides reading
writing and arithmetic, what could be more important. What difference does it
make teaching what year this country was founded if we don't teach why.
Well the results are in. The voters have decided that these pumpkins all lost. Not exactly. They still have four years to haunt President Bush's second term. Maybe it was a bad sign when the "04 Kerry" pumpkin rotted on Halloween - 2 days before the election. Sigh!
"Need A Ride" by Kathy Luttkus in Milwaukee.
By Kathy Luttkus
"When we first saw the George Bush pumpkin, he was eagerly
waiting on the front lawn of a Milwaukee resident for a passer by to pick him
up and take him back to friendlier territory. George was disheartened by polls
citing low approval ratings in this “blue” state. Initially, he
took pleasure in the local landscape while hitching his ride, admiring the geese
that flew overhead and the stunning fall color. He would snicker and snort at
the occasional bird that would perch on his outstretched arm, and the squirrels
that would scamper below.
But no one gave George a lift, for fear he would make them listen to his bootleg
Clint Black Live cassette. ... cont'd
here
Click Here for the rest of the story
This
pumpkin was a statement by Veronica Wilson to express her frustration with the
voting process. (The picture was taken on her cell phone!)
"The Great Pumpkin Ate My Vote" or "Now I Know What Happened
to My Absentee Ballot". Veronica was one of the the thousands that requested
a ballot back in August, again in September and didn't get it until the Saturday
BEFORE the election. She used the envelope from that absentee ballot that should
have been in her hands a month earlier and had the pumpkin do it's thing on
it. As it happened she was back in time to vote but even so it took two hours
of arguing and demanding a provisional ballot before she was allowed to vote.
We're not ready to make a case for conspiracy theorists, but it's amazing that in this day and age, in the oldest democratic government, we still have a lot to fix.
The news media is afraid to talk important issues. Instead they dance around silly
minor themes such as 30 year old military records and unscientific vote-discouraging
polls(4). (Apparently they like to beat around the bush ) But
let the pumpkins have their say and some real talking gets done.
Watch out George W. Bush, the pumpkins are on the warpath. They do not want your oil wells in their fields, nor the smog blocking their sun, nor polluted waters in their roots.
"Truth vs. Bush See-saw". While the republican party likes to pretend that John Kerry flip-flops, it was George W. Bush that claims to be an environmental president and once criticized Clinton for an interventionist US policy that in reflection to Bush's actions were miniscule. (3)
Entries Wanted:Email us about your ideas, your drawings, your pumpkin photos, videos, poems ... anything as long as it somehow uses pumpkins to help unseat the Bush regime. Then we'll explain where to email anything that requires an attachment. Try to keep them simple and funny. If you have that political cartooning knack, maybe someone will be inspired to email it to their friends. And that could be worth that crucial vote. The Prizes:
Deadline:As soon as possible! Definitely before election day |
 btw - The picture of this pumpkin won the Pumpkins for Change contest in 2008 |
What Mess?? |
A number of people have hoped to convey the similarities between the haunting halloween effect and this year's elections. ...
Adrienne, who lives in a NYC co-op provided the following script for "The
House of Horrors"
Make a sort of "tunnel" using black fabric. Pipe in spooky noise/music.
From the entrance til about 1/2 way down the tunnel, put up signs that say things
such as: "It's the scariest thing you've ever seen!!!" ... "Oh,
the horror!!!" ... "Will you wake up from this nightmare?" etc.
Then, fill the second half of the tunnel with images of Bush and accompanying
comments about what will happen if he's re-elected. For instance: "Right
wing appointments to the Supreme Court which will remain in effect for perhaps
the next 30 years." "Crushing deficit" "Thousands more dead
in Iraq" etc. (At her website, she also has printable pages of anti-bush
stickers).
True Majority created the "No W" design to "Help Carve Bush Out of the White House" campaign.
Click
here to download the stencil (in .pdf)
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| Vicki & her son John created these 2 to convey the life or death issue ahead. | "Bush was the scariest theme we could think of." |
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| "Smoking George" was submitted by Brent Temple | "No W Face" submitted by "Anonymous" |
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| Carved by Shanna H. and friend | "Smirking George" & "Vote" by Shanna H. |
Two views of "Mad Mopey GWB" by Matt Mattingly
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| "No W George" by Glen | "Anti Bush" jack-o-lantern submitted by Sarah Weyant |
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One of our contributors made use of 2 strategically placed pumpkins.
She says she got lots of positive comments during trick or treating. Then
she added. "GO KERRY!" |
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Poitical
pumpkin Halloeen 2003 by Jason Salzman fom Cause
Communications
In similar vein, Helen Barolini sent in the following slogan. Under a scowling
George W(ar) Bush are the words
Bush is scary! / Vote for Kerry
And then some people have kept a positive, "Elect Kerry" attitude ...
Jonathon
Berger
Kerry
portrait by Kim Binsted
Kerry-O-Lantern by Sam Smith - On Halloween 2001 he decided to carve the two
scariest things he could think of: George W. Bush and Osama bin. He made his
own templates using photographs from google and modifying them in photoshop.
This year, as a freshman at Colorado College (a very pro-Kerry oasis in conservative
Colorado Springs) he carved this pumpkin. Not because he was scary, but as a
different way to show hisKerry support. It is now lit day and night looking
out over the quad (its a funkin, a plastic replica that won't decay. As Sam
says, "I used to carve real pumpkins, but what's the point of showing Kerry
support if it decays weeks before election day? Click
here to see the Kerry template as well as GWBush pumpkin.
Another
pumpkin for Kerry. Says "Vote 04" by Margaret Weber 
"Vote Kerry" submitted by the Jim Cutcher family of Toledo Ohio
 > 11x8.5 PDF |
 > 11x8.5 PDF |
 > 11x8.5 PDF |
These stencils were created by Votestar.
|
Or how about making a "Bush Prosperity Pumpkin Pie"? (recipe submitted
by Anne Cushman )
1 Prebaked Pie Shell
1 #2 Can pumpkin or 3 cups fresh pumpkin cooked and pureed
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup molasses
1 teaspoon each cinnamon, ginger
1/2 teaspoon each nutmeg and ground cloves
5 cups rich milk or cream
Make and prebake your pie shell. Make a shopping list of remaining ingredients.
Check wallet. Remember that your unemployment benefit ended 3 months ago. Return
recipe card to file box. Fill pie shell with store brand whipped topping (or
shaving
cream, whatever you have on hand). Throw in face of the next person who tells
you he/she's voting for Bush.
If
you like these images. Please use them. If you edit the link out of the image,
please include it in your site (article) along with credits (5)
as appropriate. And then
let us know.
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After the Party's Over:
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"They say patriotism is the last refuge
To which a scoundrel clings
Steal a little and they'll throw you in jail
Steal a lot and they'll make you king"
Bob Dylan -"Sweetheart Like You (Infidels)
When you're sliding down a hill, its easy to blame others and insist that its
the right path. That you did it intentionally. Keep repeating your errors like
a mantra and you'll have many people believing you. Until there's finally a
realization that you were on the wrong hill all along.
"You fasten the triggers
For the others to fire
Then you sit back and watch
As the death count gets higher"
Bob Dylan -"Masters of War (The
Freewheelin' Bob Dylan)
Fighting terrorism is no excuse for living in denial. If Saddam Hussein had really been a threat to the U.S., it just wouldn't have been so easy to defeat him. When Al Qaeda attacked the U.S. World Trade Center in NY, 2800 citizens died. Yes, Osama Bin Laden and Al Qaeda are still threats to the U.S., but in its blind response to fear, by attacking the wrong enemy, Iraq, over 1,000 U.S. citizens have already died and many billions of dollars have been spent. Instead of spending that money on protecting ourselves, the current administration is inadvertently doing Al Qaeda's job.
Anyone who has been watching the conflict in what is now the state of Israel
for the past 60 years ( or 5,765 if you want to be more precise) knows that
there is no quick fix. To think otherwise is wrong headed and arrogant. Yet,
there have been members of Bush's cabinet who've been advocating the attack
on Iraq since before 9/11/01. (6)
I had originally thought I'd have Polly's T-shirt say "It will change your
life". And I believe that's a great message. But when it came down to actually
cutting out the letters, I decided having the word "good" there was
a good thing. I can almost imagine everyone at John Kerry's campaign staff singing
Cheryl Crow's "Change Will Do You Good". Unfortunately the rest of
the lyrics in this song are not relevant. Oh well.
Still the message is correct. In Taoist philosophy, change is recognized as the only constant. There's no excuse for not trying for something better. Hey if President Kerry were to screw up, we could always vote him out in 4 years too.
Here's 2 views of "04 Kerry"
- simple quick and clear | |
 |
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Oh yeah!
There's an independent candidate too. So far he's soliciting angry frowns: 
(1) League of Conservation Voters
(4) My rant on polls - Pre-election polling is a dangerous misleading indicator. Doesn't it seems curious that several different "official polls" can have a disparity of 10 or more percentage points and then each have the audacity to claim a margin of error of plus or minus 3% points. Don't get me wrong, polls can have their place. But only if they drop the facade of accuracy. They are by necessity a random sampling taken of people who may or may not be sure of how they'll feel in five minutes, who may or may not be telling the truth and answering questions that are often misleading or at the very least incomplete. Worse, if you feel that your vote won't be worth anything because the polls already imply that you are on the losing side, then you've already lost. In truth, it is your responsibility to vote no matter how dire the chances. Who knows? If everyone is like you, you might just be surprised by the results. My favorite definition of a democracy is a government that acts for the interests of the majority while respecting the views of the minority. (5th grade civics class 1961). So even if you "lose" your opinion and voice will be on record. And then let's see who this random sampling is drawn from: people who like to answer their telephone at dinner to talk to all the solicitors who call them; people who are not too busy, people who are still on land based phone lines ... To Top
(6) Letters signed by members of the right-wing think tank Project for a New American Century (PNAC) advocating invasion of Iraq. Note the signatures of those currently working in the Bush administration. Long before 9/11.
We
swear that we had nothing to do with this one. I had been carving the "Truth
vs Bush on the SeeSaw" pumpkin. When I looked down I saw that Polly the
Ticked-off Pumpkin had thrown this piece of pumpkin skin down on George W Bush's
nose to look like Pinocchio.
Keep checking back, there's bound to be more pictures as things progress.
"There are three things I have learned never to discuss with people: religion, politics, and the Great Pumpkin." -- Linus van Pelt in It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown
"Opting
out on Iraq" by Brendan O'Neill (November 1, 2002)
'Trick or treat Mr Blair!' shouted an anti-war protester outside the UK parliament
last night, as the Stop the War Coalition's 'day of action' against attacking
Iraq coincided with Halloween. Some protesters dressed up as ghouls and witches,
and one held a pumpkin with the words 'Don't attack Iraq' scrawled across
it in black ink. 'If you're gonna scare anyone on Halloween it might
as well be warmongering politicians', said Abby from South London. 'Though I
don't expect we'll get many sweets or chocolates for our troubles….'
"Her
Kerry campaign is not just kid stuff" (July 31, 2004)
Ilana Wexler's "earliest campaigning began at 10 months, when her parents
taped a Clinton poster on the back of her stroller ... in 1992. Though she accompanied
her parents to a Halloween Clinton rally dressed as a pumpkin and to
an antiwar protest in 2002, her real political consciousness materialized
during a family trip to Latin America and Europe in spring 2003, when the family
fielded questions about Iraq on both sides of the Atlantic and she saw graffiti
that said "Americans, go home" while in Europe.
.... She launched KidsForKerry.org
and was asked by Heinz Kerry -- "Teresa" to Wexler -- to speak at
a women's campaign event in February. Her March birthday party was covered by
the local news as Wexler and 15 friends collected $1,000 for the campaign in
less than four hours. Her chocolate birthday cake read, "A vote for Kerry
is a vote for kids."
At this link is a picture of George Bush with pumpkin skin eyes and mouth
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