Just an informal poll...

[vampyre74]

Are you a member of any advocacy groups? Did you have to pay a membership fee? Do you feel that what you pay for membership was worth it? Is there anything you think should be changed? And most importantly, will you renew?

I have met with some people who don't particularly like the direction things are going in, and want to step up and take a stab at changing the world. Time to test the waters.

 

[MoocH 1]

In terms of advocacy I have run the spectrum of feelings on it. To some degree it's guys positioning themselves to become our lobbyists, knowing full well what financial gains there are to acquire by doing so. To others the realm of advocacy should be entitled "activism."
I held a National con called Vapemania. Very impromptu, Joe from The Vaping Militia delivered some words to the audience and crystallized some concepts for people that had yet to hear the severity of our current situation. This, to me, solidified their role in our world. Those guys are on the ground; every city, vaper to vaper; trying to articulate methods.
Anyone can bitch. I do it weekly on my show. These folks are purposeful and organized. The expenses you pay to them will educate vapers. They will pay for flights to conventions, web hosting and informational utilities.
The simple truth, to me, is that it will require our industry to be bigger than the economy can suffer the loss of. A politician pointing to us as "job creation" is worth far more than scare tactics...even from the giants of industry themselves. The cell phone industry became too overwhelming to eliminate and suddenly we stopped hearing that cell phones could cause radiation or cancer. My guess? Those thoughts were planted by the major four telephone companies. Their industry was overwhelming and no one ever envisioned the end to their reign.
The Militia knows these practices and do their role. I'm completely for their cause in that regard.

 

[vampyre74]

Excellent points. Now. here's a question. For the day to day vaper, are they really "getting" the concept of groups like that? This is not about principles, we have some fine groups out there. This is about sustainability for the long term. How many vapers that go to conventions are also standing up for their rights (respectfully) at their local meetings? I am curious about percentages, not about messages, per se. See, the world is not vapers.tv, or a Facebook group, or a forum, or a shop or a convention, rather it is all of those things. So...as a convention organizer, how many people heard the discussions at your convention and walked out curious enough to attend a local meeting on an upcoming bill. That's the transition I am trying to understand. I am trying to understand the pieces of a puzzle.

 

[lordmage]

i am a supporting member of http://thevapingmilitia.org/ and a member a cassa http://casaa.org/
i was a member of the latter long ago and it just made since to further support the cause and it goes without saying i do respond to all CTA that i can respond to. i am also part of the http://www.improofmovement.com/ here is my story

supporting an organization is only the first step in furthering the cause and when the time comes i will be renewing.

 

[lordmage]

on your second question i would extend a rather large guess that most vapers who still vape a simple ego device and the same vendor may not be as active in the cause i know the vendors in my area all have cassa information and do help people respond to CTA and some i even pointed to cassa and the milita and now i feel some have started to educate themselves and are standing up

 

[VapinChevy]

<--- Supporting Member of http://thevapingmilitia.org/ (#tagsup) and also a member of http://casaa.org/

 

[MoocH 1]

Specifically the Militia operates to hit the maximum number of people, one vaper at a time. This is what it looks like. Other than my online interactions with them and my donating booths at all conventions I will ever run, I'm not affiliated deeper than the average supporter. They are the consumer's activist. Their reach is astounding. They also have methods for people to develop pockets and areas that allow folks to spearhead off shoot congregations in their own backyard.
As much as people should aspire to flesh out ideas, make contributions and be completely engaged; there's also a such thing as dividing organized systems by overwhelming the market. This could contribute to mixed signals and over extending the ideas we're giving vapers. Let's not confuse them the second they have an ego battery. We gotta be careful about how many captains want to steer the advocacy ship.
If you're into it, reach out to them and sway the balance from the inside out.

 

[A_Wild_Yeap_Appears!]

In terms of advocacy I have run the spectrum of feelings on it. To some degree it's guys positioning themselves to become our lobbyists, knowing full well what financial gains there are to acquire by doing so. To others the realm of advocacy should be entitled "activism."
I held a National con called Vapemania. Very impromptu, Joe from The Vaping Militia delivered some words to the audience and crystallized some concepts for people that had yet to hear the severity of our current situation. This, to me, solidified their role in our world. Those guys are on the ground; every city, vaper to vaper; trying to articulate methods.
Anyone can bitch. I do it weekly on my show. These folks are purposeful and organized. The expenses you pay to them will educate vapers. They will pay for flights to conventions, web hosting and informational utilities.
The simple truth, to me, is that it will require our industry to be bigger than the economy can suffer the loss of. A politician pointing to us as "job creation" is worth far more than scare tactics...even from the giants of industry themselves. The cell phone industry became too overwhelming to eliminate and suddenly we stopped hearing that cell phones could cause radiation or cancer. My guess? Those thoughts were planted by the major four telephone companies. Their industry was overwhelming and no one ever envisioned the end to their reign.
The Militia knows these practices and do their role. I'm completely for their cause in that regard.

How do I sign up?

 

[MoocH 1]

How do I sign up?

http://thevapingmilitia.org/