Wacktivists
 

Something a little more light-hearted for Tilted Politics...

Working on campaigns for the past 9 or so months, I've come across a number of what we like to call "Wacktivists," meaning slightly crazy, politically engaged people. Sometimes they have some particular issue that they're REALLY concerned about, sometimes they feel like they know the ONE THING that will make the difference between winning and losing and that we NEED to listen to them, and sometimes they really are just crazy.

During the last campaign I worked for, there was an older guy with a thick white beard who played Santa during the holiday season - and apparently even when it wasn't the holiday season. Here we were, campaigning in October, and he comes into our office a few times and semi-jokingly asks if we've been naughty or nice, etc. He sent me an e-mail once and his signature contained a large picture of him in the Santa costume with red and green text.

In the campaign I'm currently working on, we had a guy who came in and helped for a couple days and then started talking about how he could deliver the election to us, but we better listen to him, etc etc. Eventually that devolved into threats that if we don't listen to him then he'll make sure that we don't win, and then at one point he told a staffer that if he sees our campaign manager on the street then he better watch out. Obviously, we notified the authorities ;)

Why is it that crazy people are drawn to politics? I've got an uncle who is kinda crazy and acts like he has all these connections...except he's a bailiff.

So anyway, I'm curious to hear about anyone else's exposure to crazy, politically engaged people. Maybe you've helped out with a political cause and come across someone that way, or maybe you have a memorable story of a run-in outside the grocery store or on the street.

Let's hear about the crazy, politically engaged people that you've come across in your life.

(And, btw, I'm talking about people who are seriously off-kilter, not "I ran into a Ron Paul supporter, what a loon!")

The "Truthers" are usually a group I try to steer clear of.

When I was at Maryland, outside the student union almost every school day for the two years I was there was a table of Lyndon LaRouche supporters. I never really talked to them, but over-heard a lot of REALLY crazy talk.

I think that goes beyond the "I ran into a Ron Paul supporter, what a loon!" thing, because there were some real True Believers amongst them.

There is a lady around here who has become so notorious that she damages almost every organization she joins with her name alone. I joined a volunteer group last year that she was also a part of; I admit to being glad when she quit to focus solely on her war protest efforts.

But what about the hole in the Pentagon?!


Politics are (is?) the social framework for civilization. Because it's so important, it tends to attract people wanting real change. Whether or not the change the individual proposes has objective merit, it's good that they feel they can speak their opinion. Sure, the all-important elf/reindeer vote probably wasn't going to be the determining factor in the race you were involved in, Smeth, but there was and is something in this man's life that stirs him to his soap box. Find that and you've found an important part of his life.

Besitos Willravel for your opinon above! I like it!

I have a friend who is sort of a wackivist and probably looks like the Santa fellow in the OP. He is an activist for various concerns. He is passionate for change, one of the of biggest-hearted people I have ever known, and is probably viewed as nuts. I love him anyway and Im always in his corner. Not necessarily for the concern he may have, but certainly for his right to activate for it.

For me, its been issue campaigns more than candidates.

I am active in the DC voting rights campaign (we might actually win this year!)

But we do have to keep our eyes on the wacktivists who, every year, want to reenact the Boston Tea Party in the Potomac River to the extreme.

In my younger days, I guess I was the wacktivist.

The most extreme being an anti-apartheid campaign where a small group of us blocked the South African embassy. We were shocked when Arthur Ashe showed up and got arrested with us.

I can confess now that although I supported the cause, I became a wacktivist to get in the pants of the hot red head who organized the blockade.

Never did get in her pants, but got community service instead.

You should have told the judge that. That would've been great.

"Not going to lie. The only reason I was at this protest was to get in that chicks pants. I could care less about their cause.'

This is a problem being different than the majority. Especially when living in a democracy that makes laws for the majority. Sometimes I agree with the majority (indoor public smoking ban), and am happy with the change. Othertimes, people are too set in their ways and need to be pushed to change. It is really hard when it is a religious issue that you don't feel is right.

And since they don't have any power to do anything, they need to be heard by the people who do have the ability to help them.

I think the crazies are drawn to the light.

In an earlier job, I would go to the American Film Market... it's a convention where the rights to films are bought and sold. It's also where producers meet with distributors to see about getting funding for their projects. The lobby of the hotel was open to the public and as a result it would fill up with any number of odd people with the dream of making a film. Needless to say I avoided the lobby.

The oddest were the ones that would pony up the money to register. This way they could walk the floors and visit the various suites were distributors and film producers were set up. It was painful to see just how clueless... and at worst... nut, some of these people are.

I don't think it is only the desire for change.

We are talking about the Wactivist, not the incredibly passionate activists. I think that we are talking about the person thats is slightly "off". Not "off" enough that if you just passed them on the street you would notice but "off" enough that you figure it out after some time with them.

I think that it is more of an available time thing. My hypotesis is that these people may not be able to hold down a regular job becuase people figure out that they are a bit "off" and it disrupts the work environment or it keeps them from getting their work done on a regular basis. So these people have the time (are more available) to work as volunteers.
I have noticed this with people who voluteer for charities as well.

I hope this song brings you comfort.

Oh, I've met a few "wacktavists" in my time in politics...

One of my favorite local characters is this 4'11", 80 lbs. woman who pops pills like they're Skittles. She gets very concerned about the stress levels of campaign staffers, and leaves them gifts of Vicodin and Valium. Not sure that pharmacutically enhanced staffers help effectuate change, but she seems to think it's the way to go. And God forbid she get a hold of your e-mail address, because she will absolutely inundate your inbox with forwards. God bless her heart, she's a kook, but she keeps it interesting.

I have a hard time seeing a well-meaning eccentric with a Santa identity and a Travis-Bickle-type being painted with the same brush.

Also I'm betting your Bailiff Uncle actually does have a fair number of powerful judges, aldermen, and attorneys who know him and look on him in a good light. I would consider those connections. I wonder what he thinks of his nephew who managed to get a paying gig for a campaign and now thinks he's in a position to label supporters as delusional wacks.

Anyone who makes the step into actual political activity could probably be considered wacky in some respect, I think that's more the norm than the exception.

Locobot: My uncle is no longer allowed to carry a gun if that's any indication what those people around him think ;) It also helps that another of my uncles - on the other side of the family - is an attorney in the same court system and on track to being a judge, so I hear stories from that angle. Finally, my former sister-in-law is a licensed social worker who deals with a lot of mentally ill people and we've had discussions that my uncle seems to have a mild form of schizophrenia.

And no, the Santa guy is not in the same league as the guy who threatened our campaign manager. He's certainly harmless. Doesn't mean he's entirely mentally competent though. In fact, I had my own theory of him which is that he seems to be in the early stages of Alzheimer's (he's 80). In conversation, he reminded me a bit of my grandpa (who has Alzheimer's). Anyway, recognizing that someone is a little kooky isn't a slight on their character, it's just a matter of acknowledging some of the more interesting personalities that you come across in this and similar lines of work. And it's common enough that if you have a good relationship with the other campaigns, it's fairly normal to call them and give them a heads up if you think that person may go into their offices as well.

Sabrina: That exactly what I'm getting at. Most people are well intentioned, they just have very unique attitudes and approaches is one way to put it.

Sticky: I think you're very right about available time being a factor. The general theme I've noticed is that the people who are not quite 100% "there" are either a little older, or if they're younger then they do have trouble holding down a job (this is information that they generally come forward with through conversations).