There are no mistakes. As fate, or someone’s idea of a joke would have it, I find myself, by complete coincidence, at the Creekside Inn in Northern California today, on totally unrelated work, on the first anniversary of the sudden and tragic death of my friend and colleague John Gideon.
John, for those who may not know, particularly for those of you who have only found The BRAD BLOG over the past year, was for many years an integral part of this place. He was the co-founder of VotersUnite.org, the author of their indispensable Daily Voting News, which we ran virtually every single day here since Election Day of 2005, an irreplaceable friend, partner and frequent contributor here at The BRAD BLOG and an indefatigable and unwavering champion of Election Integrity, reform and voters’ rights — particularly of the right not only to cast a ballot, but to have that ballot counted accurately and transparently as per the voter’s intent.
It was here at the Creekside Inn, a serene, modest hotel in Northern California set around a quiet ivy-lined creek, towering old tress and a lush green courtyard, that I, John’s long-time Voters Unite co-founder Ellen Theisen and a small number of other dedicated folks from the Election Integrity movement in this country (shown here), crafted a deceptively simple mission statement of sorts, which we vowed to use as a yardstick for any and all future election reform initiatives. We came to call it The Creekside Declaration:
of transparent, participatory democracy.”
– Creekside Declaration, 3/22/08
While John was not there in person, he certainly was in spirit. After hearing of the declaration, he began using the short statement of principle as his email signature line right up until his sudden passing one year ago today. He is here again, in both spirit and my heart, at the Creekside Inn today. That mission now continues in his honor.
His loss to us at the blog, in the EI movement, and to voters across the country cannot be adequately or fully described — at least not by this writer.
And so, for whatever reason, one that I certainly couldn’t even guess at right now, fate has returned me here today — just the second time I have ever been here.
Well, may be I can take a guess. Perhaps it’s John’s handiwork somehow, trying to mess with my head, force me to remember how much I miss him on this day — not that I need any such reminders on any day — so that he can laugh and laugh and laugh about it all at my expense from the after life. If so, glad I could bring my old friend, confidante, partner and hero one last hearty chuckle.
So…
Has anybody here seen my old friend John?
Can you tell me where he’s gone?
He freed a lot of people, but it seems the good they die young.
I just looked around and he was gone…
And here in his home state of Washington he and Ellen Thiesen were a powerhouse in efforts to keep our legislature from falling into the clutches of evil.
But more than that he was a friend…
Thinking of John today, and of you, Brad, and you, Ellen, and all of us who have benefited from John’s life and work.
Brad,
Thank you for this touching memorial to John. I miss him, too.
Well said and well quoted.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPbPaYugtPU
~
Daily Voting News was the first thing I looked for every day. Wish we still had it.
John did noble work. Never knew him but sure knew his work!
shw
Thank you, Brad. John Gideon is missed.
I’ve always wondered who added the word “participatory” to the Creekside Declaration.
Somebody there (more than one person?) must have understood that citizen ownership of transparent electoral processes in an undemocratic oligarchy where people have no way to hold their representatives accountable during the terms of office when they are supposed to be representing their constituents, can never change or even improve the system. Somebody (more than one person?) must have understood the difference between delegating your power to others to make your decisions for you, and having a real voice in the decision-making process.
If John wasn’t there that day, who understood the difference between a representative (sham) democracy and a participatory (real) democracy?
His influence is still being felt down here in New Mexico.
I’m so glad you posted this. Thank you.
Shannon Williford @ 6:
Joyce McCloy of NCVoter.net has been doing a TREMENDOUS job with her own Voting News to fill the gap. Have been TRYING to get it posted here on a daily basis as we did with John, but haven’t been able to find the time to stop and do the programming to accomplish it. But PLAN to!
In the meantime, you can sign up for her daily newsletter, or read it online at: http://votingnews.blogspot.com/
I highly recommend it as the smartest, most comprehensive daily read on Election Integrity issues going!
Mark E. Smith @ 7:
In truth, I don’t remember which of us added what to it. Though, as you can expect — from a bunch of progressives — there was much wrangling about each and every word, none of them chosen by accident 🙂
Thanks for the info # 10 Brad. Shannon’s right, I miss the first thing I used to read everyday. But, I do believe John’s smiling through all of us. 🙂
Thanks Brad for this nice post about John. I’m sure he will be missed.