Arizona, It's up to YOU!

phxated_yuri Right now, an important conversation is occurring about how people can, need to, and should engage civically, and with civil discourse toward a more positive evolution for our communities and state.

Five of Arizona?s premier organizations have come together over their collective concern for and impassioned work to inspire civic action and conversation-changing dialogue that leads to a better future for our state. The Arizona Foundation for Women, Arizona Town Hall, Girl Scouts – Arizona Cactus Pine Council, The Center for the Future of Arizona and The O?Connor House have joined forces to support thoughtful civic engagement and civil dialogue.

On September 23, 2010, these groups are hosting It?s Up to Me AZ: A Day for Civic Action at the downtown Wyndham. This full day of programming will include gatherings and discussions focused on inspiring Arizonans to understand key issues, to plan their course of action, connect with one another and important resources, and to bring forth the leadership the state needs to achieve social and economic success.

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The day’s activities begin at 7:30 a.m. and continue until 8:30 p.m.

They include:

Who Votes? Who Helps? Who Speaks for Arizona? at 7:30 a.m.
The Status of Women in Arizona: A Special Report and Call to Action by the Arizona Foundation for Women at 9:15 a.m.
Arizona Town Hall Fall Luncheon starting at 10:30 a.m., lunch at noon.
It’s Up To Me AZ: The Action Starts Now starting at 1:45 p.m.
Inspiration & Action for AZ reception and dinner starting at 5:30 p.m.

Sign up and get more info here. Interested folks can sign up for the entire day’s slate ($200) or can pick events a la carte (as low as $free).

Special note: The afternoon session is meant to engage the broader community who might not be able to attend a full day event or cover the cost. The It?s Up to Me AZ: The Action Starts Now is only $10 for a dynamic session that will delve deep into your concerns and actionable ideas. That?s why it?s set for 1:45 p.m.-5 p.m. Several community leaders will be listening to the outcomes and discussing them at the evening?s dinner event, include former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O?Connor. Students are welcome too!

In creating this event, the collaborative partners recognize the power and importance of the individual?s voice to help reshape and define our state. They realize that it should not be just the traditional institutions and organizations that guide our future. The title “It?s Up To Me AZ” is meant to encourage each resident of our state to take on the responsibility to “be the change” they seek. More information on the event is available at: ItsUpToMeAZ.org.

To make sure that this is a dialogue that reaches as many Arizonans as possible, there is an active Facebook page to encourage discussion leading up to the September event. The “It?s Up To Me AZ” page is a virtual gathering place where residents can connect with one another and share ideas, questions, concerns and hopes for the future of Arizona. Please check it out and join the conversation. The input received on the FB page will be incorporated into the events on September 23rd.

For more information, please contact: Rhonda Bannard at 602.370.3560 or Yuri Artibise at 480.319.2067.

—Yuri Artibise
2:56 PM

Tags: Politics, Community, Events, Social Media Comment:

Doug MacEachern on Jesse Kelly: "A really, really angry guy."

jesse_kelly The Arizona Republic’s Doug MacEachern comes to not bury Little Benny Quayle, but to praise him.

MacEachern’s argument: Quayle’s not a complete sociopath, like the guy the GOP nominated to run against Gabrielle Giffords in the eighth Congressional District.

(The district includes most of Tucson and extends to cover the southeast corner of the state.)

Jesse Kelly is a rabid former marine who unexpectedly knocked out establishment candidate Jonathan Paton, making life considerably easier for Giffords in a tough re-election campaign.

Kelly visited the Republic’s editorial board the other day, and in MacEachern’s telling he had a lot to say:

I met Kelly in an Editorial Board meeting. Honorable fellow: war veteran, like all the district’s GOP candidates. Indeed, he was a Marine combat platoon leader, the most dangerous job on earth. He is an honest conservative. And a really, really angry guy.

When asked about priorities, he gave an answer that, while perfectly suitable for a former Marine officer, it seemed a bit over the top for a prospective member of Congress: “We’ve got to kill all members of radical Islam.”

And, when asked if he could work with Democrats in Congress: “I hope there’s no Democrats left in Congress when I get there.”

Look, I like shock theater, too. And I’ve been known to be a bit edgy at times. But Kelly is that rare conservative who takes politics so personally that he has morphed into his worst enemy. Like far-left liberals, he doesn’t believe his political opponents are merely wrong; they’re evil: “I think liberals are destroying the nation. We had better go fight them in Washington before they destroy our children’s future.”

About Quayle, MacEachern continues the Republic’s odd insistence on mentioning at least once a day the scandal it did not tell readers about during the primary campaign, namely Quayle’s cheesy past writing for an ultraskanky Scottsdale nightlife web site.

That sordid tale is told in its entirety here.

PHXated’s complete Ben Quayle archive is here.

—Bill Wyman
7:46 AM

Tags: Politics, Gabrielle Giffords, 2010 elections, Those zany Republicans, Worst Arizonans, Ben Quayle, Jesse Kelly Comment:

A modest proposal from the south

From The Frumious Bandersnatch:

An enormous mistake was made on December 30, 1853 when the Gadsden Treaty was signed between the United States and Mexico. The northern part of the Mexican state of Sonora, an area located south of the Gila River, was purchased by the United States, and tacked into what became the State of Arizona.

The people of the Gadsden Purchase have increasingly chafed under the domination of an enormous population in an around Phoenix (Maricopa County). In order to end the domination of Phoenix, the people of the Gadsden Purchase are seeking statehood. Proclaiming themselves as Baja Arizona, a “state of mind” is acknowledged to exist.

The primary differences between Baja Arizona and the remainder of Arizona are of attitude and tolerance. The people of Baja Arizona are known throughout the southwest for their enlightened view of the world. This is obviously not the case with the passaged of SB 1070 making it illegal to be an illegal in Arizona.

In Baja Arizona people fight for civil rights. In Maricopa County they are jailing immigrants.

[…]

The current Arizona state legislature would have to call a special election, and the people of Alta Arizona and Baja Arizona would have to vote in favor of splitting the state. Then Congress would have to approve.

The chances of the people in Maricopa County voting to get rid of the concentration of Democrats to the south, and the people of Baja Arizona voting to sever their ties to the right-wingers to the north are excellent.

Statewide Offices Clean Elections Debate Schedule

ccec_header_2 The full schedule of mandatory Arizona Citizens Clean Elections(CCEC) debates for Clean Elections candidates have been announced. The debates begin this week. If you are busy during the debates or do not have TV/Cable, the video replay of debates can be found on the CCEC website.

Here is the schedule of debates for state wide offices (Schedule subject to change):

Governor

September 01, 2010

7:00 PM – 8:00 PM