Thanks for sharing this! Let us know too how the election goes. We will want to know what you learned, what you think worked, etc.!

I agree. Fabulous post. I'm inspired. Tell us more about your activities, especially as the election comes. Now we want to know everything!

Jenifer, I share your sense of urgency and passion for taking action and differ only in respect to contrasting it with speaking out. What you call talk is itself a form of action — a crucial one.

Consider the alternative of remaining silent and suddenly you may see the immense power that our speaking out represents. Indeed, one of the first things a despot seeks to suppress is the free expression and voice of the people.

I'm sure you don't mean to discourage anyone from stepping up and expressing their hopes and aspirations; but many people with something important to say may be inhibited when they hear others say, "More action, less talk."

We can make a call to action without minimizing the importance of the spoken and written word. We can play a leadership role in community organizing, coalition building, fund raising, the cultivation of promising new candidates for public office, etc., and still recognize and respect the importance of language.

And, indeed, ultimately you go on to do precisely this, for most of your examples of action are in fact speeches, essays, and other forms of rhetoric. And thus on some level you yourself recognize the supreme power of language and what a truly great action it is.