Trevor Thomas-- 2PAC, Madonna, Mr. Holland Opus... And A Real Jobs Plan For West Michigan

Were you inundated with requests for end-of-the-quarter contributions Friday and Saturday? I sure was. I had hundreds of e-mails from candidates and committees and most of them I just deleted unopened... hoping against hope someone would get the hint. One from the DCCC had an eerie Big Brother is Watching You feel and informed me my contribution was "pending." I'm glad that's over! But do you know what today is? The first day of the all important-- even determinative-- third quarter. As important as everyone said the last quarter was... this one really is. This is the one-- July, August, September-- in which candidates raise the money they need to compete in October or they fail in November. And for candidates with primaries coming up-- like Darcy Burner (August 7), Chris Donovan (August 14), Matt Barber (August 28) and Trevor Thomas (August 7), well... obviously it's do or die.

Wednesday is the 4th of July. The next day, this Thursday, we're going to pick one lucky Trevor Thomas contributor from this page to walk away with the Madonna platinum award plaque for Vogue. It's still not too late to jump in!

Meanwhile, though, we want to send out another thank you to a Trevor Thomas supporter. You might be wondering what that 2PAC video is doing at the top of the page. Those who have been following Blue America for a while will probably remember our old friend, Professor Fred Johnson, the Democratic candidate for Congress in Michigan's second CD in 2010. Fred, who just endorsed Trevor Thomas next door in the 3rd CD, is the author of Tupac Shakur-- The Life And Times Of An American Icon. He gave Blue America an autographed copy of the book to give away today. We'll pick one random Trevor Thomas donor from this page-- today only/any amount-- and send the signed book. In making the endorsement, this is what Dr. Johnson, who teaches history at Hope College in Holland, Michigan had to say:

"Trevor Thomas is running for Congress. Establishment insiders told him to wait. Skeptics said it was a waste of time. Trevor had the guts to listen to everyday people who want a congressman who’ll truly have their interests as his top priority. He knows the issues and he’s fighting for the middle class. He’s fighting for the 99%. I know courage, determination, and vision when I see it, and I endorse Trevor Thomas as he works to make sure that working families and people finally have a Congressman who’ll work for them."

And Fred Johnson does know courage, determination, and vision when he sees it. Before writing about Tupac and before becoming a professor, Fred served as an Infantry Officer in the U.S. Marine Corps. He joins another prominent military vet who endorsed Trevor this week, former Congressman Patrick Murphy, who worked closely with Trevor to successfully repeal the odious Don't Ask, Don't Tell legislation. Trevor has also been endorsed by former Michigan governor Jennifer Granholm, former Michigan Lieutenant Governor John Cherry, Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Congressional Progressive Caucus Vice Chair Chellie Pingree (D-ME) and former Kent County Republican Party chair Bob Eleveld, who has signed on as Trevor's campaign co-chairman.

As we explained last month, Trevor put out a comprehensive policy and jobs plan for West Michigan, the only candidate in the race taking the most important concern on the minds of voters seriously. I want to share a letter I got from an accomplished product of Grand Rapids, writer and film director Patrick Sheane Duncan. You probably know him as the guy who wrote Vietnam War Story, Courage Under Fire, and Souls On Fire but he also wrote and produced Mr. Holland's Opus in 1995, which starred Richard Dreyfuss and was described by Patrick as "a movie about chasing dreams and it's about what one person can do to impact the lives of others."

So why am I emailing you? Well I'm offering a signed script from the movie, but first I want to tell you about something happening in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

I grew up in West Michigan as a teenager. In 1965, I enlisted and served a 15-month tour of duty in Vietnam in the US Army with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and attended Grand Valley, a local college, on the G.I. Bill. 

Trevor Thomas-- raised by two parents who worked the lines of General Motors for 34 years-- chose Grand Valley to take up journalism. He later went on to direct the national communications effort to repeal "Don't Ask, Don't Tell"-- a defining moment in our country for ending discrimination. Today he is running for Congress in Grand Rapids. And with a little help, he has a chance to turn President Jerry Ford's old Congressional seat blue. Former Governor Jennifer Granholm is standing with him.

But there's one major obstacle: He has been challenged in the Democratic Primary.

Trevor is pro-choice. His Democratic Primary opponent is not. Trevor has visited and supported the folks at Planned Parenthood, while his primary opponent voted to defund the organization. Trevor is taking out loans to cover personal costs. His primary opponent has holdings in the tens of millions.

And, yes, Trevor is gay, and the first to run in Michigan openly and honestly at the federal level.

This is an underdog story, but with your help we can put him over the top. Get involved now or donate $25, $50, or even $150, I'll give away a signed copy of the script to a lucky supporter.

-Pat Duncan

So you can still sign up for the Madonna platinum record here, the signed 2PAC book by Fred Johnson here or the Mr. Holland Opus signed script here.