Operation Democracy Comics, volume 2

Let the record show that the civic fields of XXX still lay sallow, with no sign of Democracy Operations. MoveOn PAC's CALL FOR CHANGE has not called the MINUTE TAKER to enlist another faithful soldier in the cause! The MINUTE TAKER can only conclude that the MoveOn commanders have fully withdrawn from XXX, leaving us conscripts without orders or equipment or, indeed, the ability to communicate. The MINUTE TAKER has resigned to sit idly, passively, in front of the television, cursing the insanity of the modern American condition, watching the moment in which we can TAKE BACK CONGRESS grow ever closer.

And yet--the record must show--so far away.

The MINUTE TAKER wonders.
The MINUTE TAKER dreams.
And, fortunately for the sake of the record, the MINUTE TAKER is not alone in this universe!
As if plucked straight from the MINUTE TAKER's fever-dreams of the heyday of Operation Democracy, and day-dreams of the fantastic possibilities of Call for Change, the mailman has delivered the long-anticipated MoveOn Minutes Illustrated: Volume II!
















Note the striking departure from the gritty dramatic realism of Operation Democracy: Volume I. This episode is a harrowing journey into a hellish dreamscape: the astral plane of civic energies, in which Operation Democracy engages Battle on numerous fronts. Let the record show that this apocalyptic scene conjures up, in equal parts, the triumph of Lady Liberty leading the French to Revolution, the orgies of violence and lust of Hieronymous Bosch, and the edge-of-your-seat ride-of-thrills-and-laughs of DIE HARD WITH A VENGEANCE.

Note that this anarchic dystopia is fraught with both the evil of man unto himself and the cruel wrath of Mother Nature. Amid the melee, the record will show valiant efforts of Operation Democracy troops to rescue the villagers from volcanic eruption, extinquish a city aflame, and perform other heroic acts of dashing derring-do -- for instance, the rescue of those who appear to be drowning in the runoff of Operation Democracy's Freedom Water!

Further note that the cursed landscape takes the shape of a supine, splayed, uni-bosomatic female figure. Oh, the whims of Art! Mark, this record shall remain devoid of formal interpretation -- let it be left to the critics and historians and sundry armchair-fuddyduddies to hem and haw upon the symbolism thereof (be it an allegorical indictment of Democracy's conception out of sin and war-i.e., the Civic Syphilitic Parable-or perhaps a cautionary tale of the destructive horrors of nearsighted urban planning -- the MINUTE TAKER does not know and cannot say).

However, this episode has renewed hope that Operation Democracy, wherever it is, is IN IT TO WIN IT!

Reporting Back to MoveOn

[For the Record, the MINUTE TAKER will post the text of an email sent to MoveOn PAC on the onset of the fourth week without progress on Operation Democracy.]

Hello MoveOn --

The MINUTE TAKER would like to report back on the results of six weeks of Operation Democracy (1/3 of the way to the election!). The record plainly shows a mixture of modest gains, promising energy, and opportunities for further growth. The MINUTE TAKER has, for the record, tried to keep MoveOn Minutes as anonymous as possible -- so as not to disrupt the participation of other volunteers. Rather, the Minutes must be taken for the sake of recording the process of progress!

Recently, however, the MINUTE TAKER's former team has ceased to exist, and attempts to find still-functioning group entities have been fruitless. The only explanation given is to wait for an email -- but the record will show that waiting is the hardest part! Democracy must operate as soon as possible if the MINUTE TAKER and fellow residents of XXX are to help TAKE BACK CONGRESS! We are all hopeful (presumably) that MoveOn is working its hardest to get us up and running again.

In the meantime, the record will have to show that as of tonight, the Project Red Handed Home Base makes the following announcement:
"Downloadable signs (will be available Friday, Aug 4)"

As the email header shows, today is Aug 6th.
The MINUTE TAKER would be happy to get on with the Project as a maverick Operative -- but unfortunately, that seems to be a delayed opportunity.

But in the meantime, the MINUTE TAKER has already had an early start at Project Red Handed (without those clever red foam hands, unfortunately!) so let this email be an official report to MoveOn and, hopefully for the record, all of Operation Democracy!

This cartoon (Operation Democracy Illustrated Vol 1) will make for a great front page inclusion on the estimable Caught Red Handed page. (Here is the post that this comic depicts.)

Finally, can you direct the MINUTE TAKER to the proper address of the Operation Democracy Blog? Surely the campaign has such an online presence. Suffice it to say that the record would be greatly enhanced if the MoveOn Minutes could 'hyperlink' to Operation Democracy bloggolalia!

--MINUTE TAKER, awaiting MoveOn's updates.

Operation Democracy Comics, volume 1

Let the record show that the MINUTE TAKER's participation in Operation Democracy remains suspended -- the new team appears to be inactive and Field Organizer J is out of contact. No sign of M, or S for that matter. But let the record further show that the readers of the MOVEON MINUTES have taken the matter, quite literally, into their own hands! Standing far apart and above from the volumes of reader mail that the MINUTE TAKER receives, yesterday a package arrived containing extensive illustrations of the highlights of Operation Democracy (pre-team collapse)!

Below, please behold the first issue of the MoveOn Minutes Illustrated! Loyal readers of the Minutes will recognize that this is a faithful rendering of the OIL FREE CONGRESS Media Event; let the record show that this cartoon displays both logistical AND emotional adherence to the record! Drama, surprise, a dash of eroticism, the eternal struggle of man against nature and traffic, inspiration, and tactical political maneuvering -- it's all there! Onward, Operation Democracy!




One more note for the record: while the MINUTE TAKER searches for a new Operation Democracy team, the MoveOn Minutes will be accepting submissions from any other Democracy Operatives across the country! If you would like to submit your minutes to the record, please compile and send to the.minute.taker[ at ]gmail.com.