Voting Rights are Human Rights

Kudos to the ACLU for filing suit on behalf of Annette McWashington Pruitt, an Alabama woman who can't register to vote because of outstanding court expenses.

Alabama state law allows a person convicted of a crime involving "moral turpitude" to apply for voting rights restoration from the Board of Pardons and Paroles, but the applicant must have paid all fines, court fees, costs, and restitution associated with his or her sentence before becoming eligible to vote. Voting rights defenders say denying the right to vote based on one's inability to pay these fees amounts to income-based discrimination.

Pruitt has two sons serving in the US military. But she can't vote in an election that will certainly affect their future. It's not because she committed a crime, but because she couldn't afford to pay to have her rights restored.

Human rights groups, including Amnesty International, are working to make sure the right now vote is protected for all Americans. Just last week, Amnesty International USA helped register hundreds of voters. When you get down to it, voting rights are human rights.

Or as Amnesty International USA director Larry Cox put it, "There is no better time to rock the vote for human rights than now."

Bob Dylan and Jerry Maguire

[Ed.'s note-- This post was contributed by Rock the Trail Reporter Donny Lumpkins]

Today I was thinking about something I heard Bob Dylan say in a interview. Well, I think that he said it- or maybe some one said it about him. In any case what was said was “you cant be smart and in love at the same time.” The quote has stuck with me since the age of 17. Recently, due to a relationship I had and was “smart” in and with my current love/hate/snooze relationship with the upcoming presidential election, the words of the great Bob Dylan -or who ever said it- (I just wanted to name drop. Shout out to my homie Bob Dylan. ) have been bouncing themselves from corner to corner around my mind like an old screen saver on a clunky desktop monitor.

What I came up with is that regardless of whether it is choosing a relationship to be in or picking a candidate to believe in, the motives and aspirations behind both decisions are very much the same. You're hoping that the person you choose will make your life better. You’re hoping that that person will keep their word and not lie to you. You hope that that person will be better than the one before them and not betray your trust or break your heart.

And most of all you hope that person will be there for you for better or for war, in sickness and in health care, till death or final term do you part.

Now, when I think of the ‘you can't be in love and smart’ thing I can’t help but think of it in political terms. If I had a dollar for every time I fell for the pretty popular girl before I really knew who she was only to regret it in the end; well, I won’t say I would be rich but I would be hood rich. Needless to say basing your opinion on looks alone will work just about as well as a condom with a safe sex pamphlet stapled to it. Looks can be deceiving, and so can the looks of politicians.

Politics, like relationships, are about results. Everyone talks a big game, but when it comes down to it we are all looking for some one who is ‘gonna deliver- right? It’s all good if a person/candidate has you at hello but remember to be smart and save your love till they show you the money(aka the results you trusted them to yield). Then it’s perfectly “ok” to pack up the little gold fish in a zip lock bag, leave smart behind, and follow your love/candidate whole heartedly until the credits role. (Jerry Maguire metaphor?! OOOHHH YEEAAA!!!)

DonnY like Hathaway NOT like Darko-

Smackdown Your Vote in Style

Try to imagine what it would be like to have witnessed gladiators battle for honor back in the glory days of the Roman Empire (think Russell Crowe in The Gladiator). Now fast forward to the 21st century with the aid of pyrotechnics, extreme lighting, and blaring rock music and you just might begin to have an inkling of what it is like to witness a WWE event.

I was the lucky ticket winner of the Battle of the Interns here at Rock the Vote. We were all asked to submit a compelling essay as to why we each deserved to go to Smackdown and I was the winner. As the lucky winner I was able to meet the wrestlers before the show, get autographs, and get escorted into the arena- totally stylish, totally VIP care!

During the show I was able to witness firsthand the rough and sweaty grappling of the brawny WWE wrestlers. The event at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. was the taping of Saturday’s WWE Smackdown and Monday night’s RAW programming (be sure to check them out when they air this upcoming Saturday and Monday). I saw giant men defying gravity not only by flying through the air to land feet first into the necks of their opponents, but also with the sheer size of their abnormally large muscles bearing down on their mortal frames.


The atmosphere was electrified by the screaming chants and taunts from the crowd and escalated with the almost continual indoor fireworks displays that occurred every thirty minutes or so. I have always heard that adrenaline is contagious, but I hade never believed it until somewhere between the tension of when John Cena apologized to Batista for accidentally hitting him in a previous show and when Kelly Kelly won her match hands down that I felt compelled to jump into the ring and start fighting. I don’t know if anything was in the water, but I do know that there was definitely something in the air that night.

As I share this with experience with you today, my throat is sore from hysterically screaming for my favorite wrestler- John Cena- but the pain was worth it and this will not be the last time you see me at a WWE event.

OOOOOOO, ROCK ON!

Young Grassroots Voters

Although polls say that presumptive Democratic nominee Barack Obama has a 36% lead among young voters, grassroots organizers in both parties are working to turn out record numbers of people aged 18-29.

The Washington Times reports:

In an attempt to pump up enthusiasm for Mr. McCain and the Republican Party, the youth group is hosting a weeklong program in Minneapolis from Aug. 26 through Sept. 4 - just before and during the Republican National Convention in nearby St. Paul. The program includes educational classes and social parties for a younger audience.

But Democrats aren't just waiting for young voters to turn out. In Florida, the Sun-Sentinel describes the activities of the Palm Beach County Young Democrats:

Efforts to increase voter awareness among young people include teaching them how to volunteer: canvassing, phone banking and the important nuts and bolts of grassroots campaigning. And the group's objectives don't end with registered voters: It has started Young Democrat clubs or made contact in high schools such as Atlantic, Palm Beach Central, Suncoast, Dreyfoos, Park Vista and St. Andrews.

Recent media coverage is telling us that we are the targeted demographic in this year's election. In past years it's been all about the soccer mom, or the NASCAR driver. This year, it's about us.

Young Voters in the District

Everyone's got something to say about young voters this year. Will young voters turnout? Do young voters care?

I wanted to see what young people thought. I figured if there are tons of articles online predicting what young people will do (or not do) in November, we have a right to input our own predictions on the actions of our peers.

I was particularly interested in interviewing young people, especially in the neighborhood where I live. There are so many young people who are dressed in perfectly pressed business suits, rushing and running to what I assume to be an internship. I think that it’s a pretty cool connection I share with thousands of strangers who live down the street from me- we have all ventured off to (in my case a completely foreign city), away from home and most of what we know, to make difference and propel our careers, futures and perhaps even the futures of others.

So, on my way to the Metro this morning, I decided to put down all those conflicting articles and hit the streets myself. I stopped several young people in my path. Some were willing to chat up a storm while others wouldn’t give me their first name. I talked to one person on our seven flight journey in the elevator in my building, two while standing on the corner waiting for the light to change and another just randomly walking on the street.

Ian, 23 thought that young voters are probably taken seriously because of the increase in focus on young voters and their impact on politics.

Tanaz, 29, disagreed however and said that young voters were not taken seriously. She said, “People try to do outreach but unfortunately, young people just don’t vote…it's our fault that we aren’t taken seriously.”

Ryan, 21, said that, “Yeah, we are taken seriously because candidates see us as a swing vote.”

On my Metro ride into work, I tried to make sense of the whole thing. In my Chemistry class, during lab, there is always a conclusions section in my notes. However, I don’t think this blog post will have any “conclusions.”

What do you think?

Stuff Young Voters Like

#1 Book Signings

Young voters like young authors such as Christian Lander, author of Stuff White People Like, who spoke at Politics and Prose last night in Washington, DC.

Christian-- a typical modest young author-- talked about the success of his blog as it went from 5 readers to 35 million in the course of just seven months. Young voters, especially unpaid interns who can't afford to purchase the new book, were there to demonstrate their appreciation for:

#2 Light irony

After the event, Rock the Vote staffers (all young voters) stood in line to present Christian with a Rock the Vote tee-shirt and gift bag. One young voter mentioned her appreciation of kitchen gadgets (particularly color-coordinated Kitchen-Aid mixers) and the largest young voter movement in history. Christian agreed, but lamented that being Canadian, he could not vote in the United States.

He signed the Rock the Vote staffer's book with the line:

Rock the Kitchen-Aid. Screw the vote.

But he proudly wore the Rock the Vote tee for the rest of the evening. Which brings us to another thing that young voters (American and Canadian) like:

#3 Registering other young voters.

Nothing makes a young voter feel more superior than to say, I am part of the largest young voter movement in history. I have pledged to vote in this election, and I've told all my friends to register to vote. Everyone wants a posse. Young voters plan to have the largest posse of them all.

On the edge

I got a note in my inbox yesterday about an interesting new report - "Young People: Living on the Financial Edge," from Qvisory and Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research.

We all know the economy's in the tank right now, but hardly anyone ever talks about how this has an impact on young adults.

It makes sense, though, that a bad economy is especially rough on 18 to 35 year olds. We're on our own, not making much money, probably (definitely) in debt, and going through all those milestones in life - kids, car, moving, marriage, house, etc. - that take a toll.

I think most pundits and politicos think of the "youth vote" as a bunch of freewheeling college kids living off their parents' largess and bothered by problems no bigger than their next exam (or beer).

This report is a good reminder that the youth vote is so much more than that - we're college students, yes (many of whom are working their butts off, by the way), but we're also young moms and dads, blue-collar workers, recent graduates, recent immigrants, and multi-job workers. We're rural, urban, and suburban. We're single, married, and divorced. We've got kids, we've got mortages, we've got debt, and we've got responsibilities.

What are '08 candidates going to do about our economic troubles if they're elected? To make sure that today's young adults have the same - or better - opportunities that our parents and grandparents had?

I'd like to know what you want them to do. On the presidential level, both campaigns (McCain here, Obama here) have a set of priority issues laid on out their websites - what do you think? Do agree with these ideas? What would you like to see the candidates talking about?

Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Stila Rocks the Vote

Have you seen our new lipshade? Stila has created a limited edition Rock the Vote Red for the 2008 election cycle.



You can buy your own at http://www.stilacosmetics.com/special_rockthevote.asp.

Top MySpace Bands in the DemROCKracy competition

So we've told you about our first round winner, but check out what other bands are doing to win. With three weeks left, the competition is heating up. In second through fifth place, we have:

American Android: Indie/Alternative Rock from Tucson Arizona

Privies: San Francisco Bay area straight forward rock

Sleeper Star: One Republic meets Coldplay out of Dallas, Texas

Maldroid: Electronic Indie New Wave from Oakland, CA.

And trailing not too far behind is MAE, who sent us a blog post with a very compelling ask to register to vote:

We wanted to write you and let you know that we are supporting the Rock The Vote campaign to raise participation in the voting process. There are a million reasons why every one of us who is eligible to vote should exercise that right and be a participant in our democracy. Our system of government DEPENDS on our involvement and we have been given the gift of the power to determine the future of our society. Our founding fathers and mothers structured our government to keep the power in the hands of its citizens. If you are a member of this country then the responsibility to govern it is yours...

3,549 bands are competing for a chance to play at Ballot Bash '08 and win that last set of Gibson guitars. Check back to see who will take the lead in the final weeks.

Threadless Loves Democracy

Rock the Vote has teamed up with Threadless.com to challenge all of you to design a democracy-inspired tee shirt.

Read what they have to say:

By the people and for the people! It's the linchpin of democracy and it sounds an awful lot like what Threadless is all about. And so, as us citizens of the US will assemble this November to choose officials to represent us, we'd like you to nominate (submit) your design based on the concept of democracy.

There are already four great submissions that you can check out online. The contest runs until August 14, so submit your design today (and register to vote) at www.threadless.com/loves/democracy.

VP Al Gore and Speaker Pelosi at Netroots Nation

Vice President Al Gore made a surprise visit to Netroots Nation this morning to talk about www.wecansolveit.org and challenge us to become 100% energy independent by switching to 100% renewable resources. He and Speaker Pelosi are sharing the stage right now, talking about some of the most important issues to young voters this election: the job market, the war in Iraq, and of course global warming.



The two have answered audience questions on everything from wind power to sending more care packages to our soldiers in Iraq. Nancy Pelosi gave a great response to a question about sex education. One audience member has just asked Speaker Pelosi if Congress accepts Vice President Gore's challenge.

Her answer: "It is absolutely possible."

DemROCKracy Band Competition-- First Round Winner!

[Rock the Trail reporter Sarah Burris meets the first winner of the DemROCKracy band competition, sponsored by Rock the Vote and MySpace Impact.]


Congrats to the super awesome Jackie V who won the first round of artists who won the DemROCKracy Band Competition!

If you don't know Jackie V you are missing out. She's 18 years old this year and has gone above and beyond to register voters on her MySpace page as well as in her community. She's been playing the piano since she was a little girl and now plays some edgy pop with a jazz twist all over Austin, Texas.

We caught up with Jackie today to present her with her beautiful new Gibson Guitar and encourage her to keep up the good work to get to the big Rock the Vote Concert Extravaganza in August!

-- Sarah Burris

Check out Jackie as she receives her guitar:

Update from Netroots Nation

I'm at Netroots Nation this week, meeting progressive activists and bloggers from across the country. Last night, DNC Chairman Howard Dean gave the keynote address and spoke about the power of the youth vote.

Back in the 60s he said young voters changed the course of a presidential election. And this year, we're doing it again.

So just in case you were wondering, bloggers, candidates and political leaders are paying attention to the young voters and all that we're going to accomplish this year.

Rock the Vote Interns Meet with will.i.am

Rock the Vote Interns Meet with will.i.am, originally uploaded by Rock the Vote 2008.

Al Gore Speech

Rock the Vote interns took a break today to go hear Al Gore speak at the DAR Constitution Hall.

Wow! That was such an amazing experience! I just got back from seeing Al Gore speak about the environment and what we can do to help solve the energy crisis that we are currently facing. The DAR was packed! There were only a few seats left empty. The seats were filled with people such as will.i.iam from the Black Eyed Peas, Al Gore's daughter and wife and several other important members of congress.

Today, Al Gore said "never have I seen so much wrong simultaneously". He spoke about changing the way we live our lives and that the answer to several of the problems that we currently face is ending our reliance on Carbon based fuels. Gore said that this solution, and other environmental solutions are in actuality, the answer to sky-high prices everywhere from the gas pump to the grocery store, problems with taxes and problems with employment.

Next, Gore posed a challenge to America. He challenged us to commit to producing 100% of electricity from alternative energy sources (i.e, non-carbon based fuels). Ryan Lee, 21, who also attended the speech thought that Gore's proposals were realistic and could be achieved.

He continued by saying that America has an appetite for a "new, different and bold approach". That is where Gore and I differ. I strongly disagree with him. I think that Americans are hesitant to change their old habits that they have grown up with and become accustomed to.

The excitement for me however, started after Gore's speech. I met will.i.am and even talked to him about Rock the Vote. He seemed very impressed with what we are trying to do and liked and approved with our main missions.



As if I wasn't star struck enough, I then met and interviewed Congressman Bob Barr. In regards to what Gore spoke about, Barr believes that he is deeply sincere. He believes Gore has nothing politically to gain from talking about and helping to solve the current environmental issues. I then asked Barr about youth vote and what his views are on its importance and its role in politics. Barr said that "[the young people] are the future of politics and cannot be overemphasized". He also noted that young people tend to be much more "open" and they "look down the road towards long term solutions." When asked the weight that young people will play in the upcoming presidential campaign, he responded by saying "pivotal".

-- Jane Maglaque

First Winner Chosen Today

Gang of Four's Dave Allen says it best:

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock all year you’ll know that this November is time to vote for president.

3,421 bands on MySpace are working to register their fans and tonight at midnight, the top band will win a Gibson SG Special guitar.

There's still one more month to go in the contest, so if you know someone who is hiding under a rock, send them over to myspace.com/rockthevote, where they can pick their favorite band and register to vote on their profile page.

DemROCKracy Update

Tomorrow Rock the Vote, in conjunction with MySpace Impact, is giving out the first prize of the DemROCKracy band competition-- a new Gibson SG Special.

With music bloggers like Rusty over at Stranded in Stereo spreading the word, over 3,100 bands have signed up to register voters:

Are you in a band? Do you believe in democracy? Big supporters of the upcoming election? Want to give your band some exposure? Well, don't we just have the ticket for you.

Check out the top 5 bands over at www.myspace.com/rockthevote. We'll announce the winners tomorrow.

Patriotism

If you’ve ever read my blog posts, gotten me talking about voting rights and our democracy, or heard me ramble on about the miracle of a country founded on “we the people” (sorry if you have), you’d know I can get pretty seriously patriotic about America and the rights we have as voters to shape it.

So that’s why when I saw this article, and this one from last week, I was seriously pissed.

Here’s the background: a while ago, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs banned voter registration drives at its federally-run facilities across the country, including nursing homes, homeless shelters, and rehab centers.

The V.A. claims the “Hatch Act” prevents their facilities from allowing registration at V.A. facilities. But as Senator Daniel Akaka, chair of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee, stated yesterday, that is bogus.

And as numerous democracy advocates have pointed out, state-run agencies are actually required by law to offer voter registration to clients, and a 1994 Executive Order said federal agencies may do the same.

Yet the V.A. still refuses to budge.

Wow. Banning the most basic action of a democracy from centers helping and housing men and woman who have been fighting for democracy. It makes my head spin.

Why do I care so much? Outside of the fact that this is completely convoluted, the V.A.’s action will disproportionally impact thousands of young Americans recently returned from serving in the Middle East.

Three-quarters of the men and women who have died fighting in Iraq and Afghanistan were under 30 years of age. Thousands of veterans are young Americans who could be participating in a presidential election for the very first time. Young Americans are giving their lives for our country.

To erect a barrier to allowing these young veterans, and all veterans, from registering to vote and participating in our democracy is wrong.

It should be the other way around. Just like state-run agencies – from food stamp offices to the Department of Motor Vehicles – are required to register their clients to vote, federally-run V.A. facilities should do the same. Centers should be helping their constituents update their registration address, get registered, and ensure they are given the tools for active participation.

I remember back in ’05 when I heard that solidiers stationed in Virginia were being (illegally) required to fill out additional paperwork to register to vote in the state. That was outrageous.

What the V.A. is doing is ten steps beyond outrageous.

There are hundreds of nonpartisan organizations working their tails off to register voters this year – let them come and register our veterans! Or better yet, encourage V.A. facilities to register their clients themselves. All it takes is one piece of paper and five minutes to help make sure another American has his or her say in their own future and that our democracy lives up to its incredible potential.

Christina Aguilera on Access Hollywood

I'm sitting here with my coworker Whitney and we are toasting the national debut of Christina Aguilera's new PSA on Access Hollywood.



If you missed it, you can check it out here.

Voter Registration in South Florida

One high school could have chosen the US President in 2000. Could yours in 2008?

Don’t think your vote counts for anything? I submit to you the story of one Andrew Blasi, and how he turned the epically close 2000 Presidential Election results in Florida into a comprehensive civic engagement/education endeavor. In Andrew's own words:


“Growing up in South Florida during the 2000 Presidential Election granted me the opportunity to witness what was one of the most defining moments in world political and electoral history. The leader of most powerful nation in the world was determined by that of 537 votes from an election in which over 100 million were cast. This election opened my eyes to the true power voting can have, but even more so, it revealed to me how the power of just one voice could have been enough to tip the balance in one direction or another.

“So began my desire to launch a community effort in mobilizing fellow students to not only register to vote, but to understand many of the necessary responsibilities associated with the power of voting. So began my desire to be one such voice in a small suburban community that narrowly determined the world’s fate over the past eight years.

“Launching this grassroots campaign with a few close friends on all sides of the political spectrum, we registered 506 high school students to vote in 2005 and 508 in 2006. In our Florida hometown of just 22,000 residents, we registered nearly double the amount of students to vote than the Presidential margin of victory in 2000. Our campaign, based on unwavering passion and commitment, made our purpose not just about registration but education. One such means of education was holding our high school’s first Political Forum in the spring of 2006 ahead of municipal elections.

“The response was extraordinary, as over 700 registered high school juniors and seniors attended the forum to listen and watch candidates discuss their issues and platforms. In the municipal race that followed just one week later, there was a 23% rise in the number of citywide votes cast from the previous election of spring 2004. City population growth was less than 7% over the same two year period. It was also of no coincidence that the two youngest candidates in the race were the ones elected for the two contested council seats.

“As I learned and experienced firsthand, rocking the vote is far more encompassing than simply registering people to vote. If young people hope to expand their influence and importance in the political process, they must directly engage in that process through education, keeping an open mind, and above all else have a sense of understanding that your newly acquired power of one vote represents an very real and equally proportionate ownership over the most powerful military, economy, and emergence of culture the world has ever known.”

Wanna be cool like Andrew? Co-brand your own voter registration with Rock The Vote at http://www.rockthevote.com/act-out/logo-request/ today!

Brother Ali: The Inspirational Truth

[Ed.'s Note: This post is part of a Rock the Trail series on how music inspires political activism. Check out www.trailblog.rockthevote.com for more updates.]

Power-house MC Brother Ali motivates me to speak my "Undisputed Truth." Ali leads by example, challenging me to utilize my political power with the intensity of a B-boy or B-girl in a heated cipher. Whether he's calling out the U.S. government for its dealings in the villainous slave trade in "Uncle Sam Goddamn," or riffing on the botched elections and war in "Letter from the Government," Ali effectively relates a shared struggle and striking hope for the future.

Balancing his identities as an albino Muslim from the Midwest, Ali's lyrics encourage me to utilize my unique experiences to address complex topics. As a moving example of civil discourse, he creates genuine discussion about race, white privilege, violence and personal growth. In "Daylight," he divulges his inner-most feelings: "So they ask me if I'm black or white, I'm neither. Race is a made up thing. I don't believe in it ... I know that I benefit from something I hate." Songs like Ali's "Forrest Whittaker," in which he celebrates his unusual physical features, encourage me to be confident, expose my vulnerabilities and wear my insecurities like a badge of honor.

Ali's dialectical whirlwind of personal, social and political commentary places him at the forefront of inspiring and motivational artists.

Campaign Update

Back from a long holiday weekend? Take a second to get caught up on the presidential campaigns and what John McCain and Barack Obama are up to on the campaign trail.

Be You

[Ed.'s note-- this post is part of a Rock the Trail series on how music inspires political activism.]

BE YOU DESPITE THE DRAMA is the kind of attitude hip-hop artist Nas has embraced and the kind of attitude that has allowed me to voice my political concerns.

When my fellow Rock the Trail reporters asked whether or not I considered myself a political person, I didn’t hesitate to say no. They then asked me to discuss issues that I am really concerned about. When I ran through my list of high concerns - racial profiling, gang violence, the economy- I was proven that I was wrong; I AM POLITICAL!

Most of my peers have allowed the “hype” of certain political issues to define politics. They're tired of hype and they've tuned out. But politics aren't just about war, health care, and who is running for president. Politics cover all the issues that affect your well-being as a citizen of the United States-- issues that Nas points out through his music.

Nas is one of very few entertainers that sparked a political fire in me. His songs speak truth about issues America doesn’t talk about. He gives a voice to the powerless and he puts issues out there for us to grasp, educate ourselves and make a change.

To me, Nas will be remembered as an historical figure who sought change in America through rap. Yeah, that may be a very extreme or bold statement, but it’s my personal opinion. An opinion that has led me to confirm that I can voice how I feel and encourage you to do the same: despite the drama, be you.

-- DeNishia Yearby
Rock the Trail Reporter

Hello from a summer intern

We're coming up on one of my favorite holidays, July 4th, so this blog will be taking a short vacation out of respect to summer, America, and whatever fun you can get up to this weekend. Check back next week, and as you watch the fireworks or grill some hotdogs, take a second to remember that our country wouldn't really exist without voting:

My name is Jane Maglaque and I am the new media intern at Rock the Vote! I can’t wait to begin to do different work with various events and projects here and I am super excited to be working and living in Washington, DC.

I am 18 years old and from Sharon, Connecticut. I have just graduated from The Millbrook School located in Millbrook, New York and this coming fall will be starting at Mount Holyoke College as a freshman. I love to travel, play squash and tennis, and be outside. My favorite city in the entire world is Rome, Italy. I have one sister, 21 and a half-brother who is 8.

I am thrilled to be working with Rock the Vote because of its importance and the importance of voting in my and other young people’s lives. It is essential to vote for several reasons. Voting makes you both a responsible and contributing member of society. It is an outlet to express how you feel and how you want your government to be run. Perhaps most importantly however, voting gives you the power to make some of the most important decisions that one could possible make.

Harry and the Potters, Part 2

Whitney and Andrew's review of Harry and the Potters and their Wizard Rock the Vote event continue.

Whitney: It was great! At one point Harry and the Potters totally stopped to explain the need to vote so that we don't have a situation like in HP, when Cornelius Fudge (the minister of magic) was in denial that the Voldemort had returned


Andrew: It was really cool how they tied in the HP universe and story and applied it to real-world problems or courses of actions that needed to happen. Using that story to encourage people to vote was brilliant, and completely effective for their audience. It was almost surprising. They didn't have to register people, make shirts and posters, or film the video. But they did, which shows how much voting means to them.

Whitney: Yeah, it was fantastic. And I think one of my favorite things were the people involved. One of the Harrys was walking around wearing a Wizard Rock the Vote shirt in honor of real Rock the Vote coming to the show. I mean they genuinely care about their cause and their audience
Andrew: I think you hit the nail on the head, they genuinely care. And because of this even for someone who hasn't read a HP book, it was engaging. I had no idea what they were talking about, but I could still relate to their message and enjoy the show.

Whitney: And for avid fans of the books, it was hysterical to be singing the song "Save Ginny Weasley," which came chalk fully of references that had the best of us participating. All in all...Harry and the Potters rocked the Black Cat, and their counterpart, the Harry Potter Alliance is, well, Wizard Rocking the Vote.

Have you entered to win?

Dozens of bands have already signed up to register voters and win a chance to perform at Ballot Bash 2008 and receive a Gibson guitar.

www.myspace.com/rockthevote

If you're a musician with a MySpace account, you too can enter to win.

We'll start updating our MySpace profile soon with the leading bands, so get a headstart on registering voters.

Wizard Rock the Vote, DC Edition

On Monday, July 30, Rock the Vote staffers went over to the Black Cat to see how the voter registration efforts are going in the world of Wizardry.

Andrew: Let's get wizzard on this blog

Whitney: Moving past your ridiculous new slang, let's introduce the world to Harry and the Potters. Although almost cooler [but not actually] is the Wizard Rock the Vote work, but I'm getting ahead of myself. Wizard Rock is an "underground" music movement that involves bands named after Harry Potterish things, that sing about Harry Potterish things.

Andrew: I'm not sure if it is so much an "underground" music movement as it is a straight up phenomenon within the HP fan community. I saw more excitement by the members of the crowd towards wizard rock than I have seen at any of the shows I frequent, this is, in my opinion much more than a movement...


Whitney: Come on, they like to think that they are underground and hip, and a little hardcore. I mean, for real, they are fighting the evils of society and the government through music.

Andrew: A lot of HP's story intertwines with the real world and the fact that there is that overlap gives the Potters a real incentive to register voters. The thing that I found most impressive was how united all 3 bands were about both the concert in general (they opened the show with a song performed by all bands on the tour and all had different messages about unity, positivity and voting; as well their "Wizard Rock the Vote" PSA playing...

The conversation continues. Stay tuned for more about this magical evening.

Enter now for a chance to win

Rock the Vote is looking for a band to kick off our convention activities at the Ballot Bash Concert this August in Denver, CO.

www.myspace.com/rockthevote

Want to win a new Gibson Guitar and open for the DNC's best concert event?

Register the most voters between now and August 14, and you just might.

www.myspace.com/rockthevote

Check out the Rock the Vote and MySpace IMPACT DemROCKracy band competition to learn how you can register voters and win.