Compassion in Politics: Christian Social Justice, Non-Profits, and Life Theology

Thought you might enjoy this funny YouTube video…

About the Author: Nathan Ketsdever does affordable and ethical search engine optimization outsourcing and freelance consulting work for startups, small business owners, and non-profit organizations. He also digs live music, cheesy 80s movies, and thoughtful art.

I thought this was creative and fun….and that you might like to check it out….

Update: As a community project, this video might just edge the above video out…

Alternatively, if you are more design oriented, this is a pretty cool video from the Vancouver Film Fest about heart, soul, and passion.

Which video draws you in more or captures your attention more?

Following MySpace’s Impact and Facebook donations application, YouTube debuts non-profit program.

SAN BRUNO, CA–(Marketwire - September 27, 2007) - Hundreds of nonprofits currently leverage YouTube, the leader in online video, to raise awareness of their causes. Today at the Clinton Global Initiative, YouTube announced the YouTube Nonprofit Program, a way to make it even easier for people to find, watch and engage with nonprofit video content on the site.

At launch there will be a thirteen organizations participating in the YouTube Nonprofit Program including:
24 Hours for Darfur * American Cancer Society * Autism Speaks * 92nd Street Y * Asia Society * Strong American Schools’ ED in ‘08 * Friends of the Earth * International Rescue Committee * March of Dimes * YouthNoise * The ONE Campaign * The Clinton Global Initiative * World Vision Australia

Other organizations are free to apply. You can check out the story on Marketwire above or the Web 2.0 review site Mashable. Actually the mashable story is getting a little digg love.

For other folks interested in this story, you might want to check out Beth’s Non-profit technology blog where she discusses Splashcast and the NTC Videogeek out, which is a non-profit video wiki. Beth’s blog also has some info about her recent work with spreading the video bloging movement in Cambodia as well as her coverage of free videolog which receives big praise from Beth . For other resources, I would look to YouTube itself or Make Internet TV which is Creative Commons and has both a blog and a wiki.

UPDATE:  If you want to stay on top of what You Tube technology and collaboration is coming next, check out You Tube’s Test Tube.

This American Cancer Society video on heath care and health insurance is pretty gripping:
YOuTube

At the other end of the spectrum, this quick :15 second video by World Vision seems less produced but still compelling:

After Barcamp Singapore Mitch Joel of Twistimage asked his readers what he was asked by digital marketers in, “how do you sell companies on meaningless video?”  Mitch’s post got me thinking and here are my assorted, meandering thoughts… 

Finding desire & meaning in User Created Content:
It seems to be that having your clients remember being young and having adults misunderstand them would be fruitful.  It seems the more you put them in the shoes of the generation by showing them social networking sites and You Tube they would be sold.  (Sort of like role-playing, anthropology, or ethnography.)

Snippets of teenagers talking about their experiences online, particularly with online video.  I would think testimonials, narratives, and videos might be persuasive in this context.Juxtaposition of 3 user created content and 3 unsuccessful “engineered” campaigns.  The numbers would speak for themselves.  Even if you didn’t use actual websites, there are plenty of seemingly “meaningless” websites that get massive traffic to prove your point.

Alternatively, in some ways the identity and community issues involved can’t be explained with “rational” discourse.  How can you explain what its like to bungee jump, ride a zip line, fly an airplane, or even eat an apple pie.  I think video, particularly user created video captures some of that inexpressible experience.  It caused you to see the world just a through different eyes.  Or in Apple’s words to Think Different. (I think Nissan later adopted the same idea and called it “shifting”)

The usual schtick: 

The increasing ineffectiveness of traditional models combined with the massive amount of time spent online, particularly by young people is a tremendous untapped opportunity in many markets.  The lower cost for new media rather than traditional media channels as well as the long tail and word of mouth benefits social media brings.

New media also seems to be a unique area to experiment with new, creative, and unique campaigns.  If its a campaign that requests user created content this allows you to launch multiple online strategies and determine which one works by applying metrics and asking your publics. (I think this is digital darwinism in practice)

Creating a conversational loop helps you listen to your audience.  Its less magazine, and more human.Adding value to your customers via authentic communication and beating your competition to the new media punch also have added advantages. 

 
Thoughts and meanderings:

Also, supposedly meaningless videos might allow each viewer to connect and bring their own meaning to the video.  It also provides a lot of marketing flexibility, I would think.

What makes people forward one video and not another may be a bit of a black box at the moment.  I’m not sure this is anything new in advertising.

Like any change this seems to be about embracing the metaphor of change and revolution. Either you sit on the sidelines and watch or take a little risk. (Seth Godin calls it Zooming)

Thoughts? Ideas?  What do you think of this new change in culture?  Is this user created content really meaningless?

While Giuliani is trying to work out the scheduling conflict, I haven’t heard anything about confirming new dates or the other candidates signing on to the newly scheduled debates so this issue is still up in the air.As of 9:56 on Tuesday, I’ve heard absolutely nothing inked on a deal to get the debates rescheduled and Romney has not only insulted YouTubers, but is still not commited to this 21st century democratic townhall experience. So, I am joining the robust of voices from both ends of the political spectrum including Patrick Ruffini, James Kotecki, Ross Smith, David All, Robert Bluey, and the rest of the bewildered American populous pondering (mouth widely agape) “Why it is the GOP content with this silence? Why is Romney dodging the debate?”I invite you to ask yourself, “Why is he avoiding the public square? Would Ronald Reagan buck the debates so cavalierly? Would Lincoln or any other leader in our national history avoid this opportunity?”Reportedly Romney didn’t think that the humorous and intelligent question posed by a snowman was “dignified” for a presidential candidate. You Tubers and other candidates undignified, huh? To me it seems like an inappropriate slap in the face to the folks who created an energized platform for democratic citizenship and community. I guess that’s up to your highly contentious and infinitively elastic interpretation of “dignified”. There are a couple of compelling reasons for Romney to demonstrate his high level of presidential decorum and dignity by attending the debates and don’t rely on questionable appeals to indeterminate name calling:• The debate is the sin de qua of the democratic process and our Constitutional free speech guarantees.• Presidential action that displays a strident and unrelenting courgage and fearlessness in the face of media insults be they from late night comedy or politically interested internet geeks. That is the steel girded backbone Lincoln and all of our greatest leaders exhibited on a daily basis.• Being an active part of the conversation is the absolute prequisite to authenticity and our respect.• Avoid alienating YouTube community and the heightened risk of retaliatory mash ups that make you and your supporters look like oafs.• Free media coverage. Bling. Bling. Mr. President. Your campaign coffers and supporters will appreciate them apples.• Listening to the American public and learning about the issues, if that’s important on your unilateral agenda.• Freely admitting that in the 21st century the true and robust dignity of our presidential office is sufficiently resiliant enough to withstand an army of YouTube videos.According to the vast wealth of political scientist, the marketplace of ideas is ground zero for where ideas are broadcast, combined, and re-created. I urge you to be apart of the discussion Mr. Romney if only to honor our Constitutional free speech guarantees in the First Amendment. Can you credibly encourage people to vote, if you didn’t even attend their national townhall meeting to discuss the issues of the day? Even if a re-schedule can’t work out to your advantage, you owe it to your supporters, the American people, yourself, and your American icon of choice to participate in the frontline of democratic discussion. Remember to leave your sour grapes about our democratic expressions at the door, because you might just look a little foolish–not to mention a tad hypocritical–when you try to wrap yourself in the flag next time.So what do you think?? Should Romney show up or continue to dodge the debates?? How should voters respond if he doesn’t?? And what presidentially dubious precedent does this set for presidential action? So, can candidates not appear on Saturday Night Live? How about talk shows like Jay Leno and David Letterman that deal in Stupid Human Tricks and blatant displays of playful bafoonery? Or perhaps Romney and his staff missed the universally ubiquitous You Tube viral videos of Bush just being Bush? So Mr. Romney, are Bush and other presidents being undignified for being an active participant at the annual National Press dinner? Consequently, if Romney is so concerned about policing the boundaries of a dignified presidential office I fear for the members of his Administration and the American public who forced to have free speech and dissent put on such a narrow minded wrack.Personally, I can’t wait to see the viral YouTube mashups of Romney abscent from the debate stage in an overwhelmingly ackward silence punctuated with America’s perenial sweetheart Lee Greenwood croning in the background. What could be more presidential than that?

While the citizen participation, passion, and creativity was refreshingly innovative, over a third of the questions dealt primarily with personal questions rather than the future policy direction.  I don’t go to the voting booth to determine whether a candidate sent their kids to or took an airplane to the debate, I vote on the marrow of the issues and the.  Other issues are distant thirds, fourths, and fifths.  After all, that’s their constitutional mandate.  Or did I miss something in Government 101?  Maybe, I just think these “Gotcha” questions are cheap shots that don’t really reflect the vision of compassion as expressed in policy choices.

This cutting edge use of user created content was a fun twist on an old concept –a political mashup if you will.  This is one of the first times that a mainstream media outlet, like CNN, has been integrated traditional media (in this case debate coverage) with new media such as YouTube in such a dramatic and meaningful way.  At the end of the day I lay the blame for the poor questions at the feet of poor decision making by CNN folks.  They would have made these decisions irrespective of where the questions came from whether it be editors, audience, or you tube. 

One of the best questions of the night was a question about how to reform the process of voting to enhance the fairness and legitimacy of elections.  If Starbucks can get it right, why can’t we get it right at the ballot box?  One of the scariest questions was from a wife-beater clad guy who clutched the barrel of his semi-automatic weapon proclaiming it to be his “baby” and asking about gun control issues.  He was basically a case study for why we have gun control and waiting periods.  I certainly hope this isn’t who folks are talking about when they talk about Joe six-pack.  People with trigger fingers scare me a bit, but I guess my Christian faith calls me to love them, even as I encourage others not to adopt their lifestyle(s).

Your take?  Your thoughts?  Your perspective?  What did you think?  Good questions?  Bad questions?  Worst questions?  What were your takeaways? Did you like the new format?  And who won?

Very excited about the YouTube/CNN Debates this fine Monday evening at 7pm ET.  If you want to stay updated on todays festivities, you can check out James Kotecki’s Emergency Cheese or You Tube’s own Citizen Tube. You can even post your own post-debate responses at CitizenTube. 

The most up cnn-yt-header.gifto the minute mainstream media updates will probably be provided by the folks at Google News  But if you prefer to get your info from the horse’s mouth, CNN will be more than willing to oblige you.  Technorati and Google Blog search can steer you in the right direction for the latest percolations from the bloggosphere.  I didn’t see anything new about the debates posted today at Open Left  or Mydd   when I last looked at 6am eastern…but my guess is that will change.  

After the debates, tune into Blog Talk Radio for post-debate commentary.  They’re sure to have lots of pithy political commentary.

The kind folks at YouTube would probably like me to point out their terms of use for the debate video.

Questions for you folks in the blogg-o-sphere: 

Are the YouTube debates a help or a hindrance?  Will the candidates go out of their way to appeal to the youth and gen-y vote?  Anyone have any ideas on who will win or what it will take to win? Will John Edward’s post-debate online conversation community be effective?  Anyone got a favorite to win, place, or show?  Which candidate will have the hardest time adapting to the more youthful audience?  In other news, when will those dark horses in Tennessee finally announce their candidacy?  

 I’d like to hear what you thought afterwards as well…..

More posts to follow……I’ll rest up a bit…..and then get back to blogging and answering comments….