On Memorial Day, I attended a holiday event. It was somber, patriotic, and emotional, but something happened that bothered me.
A poem was read about thanking a soldier, reminding us that we should always be grateful for their sacrifice. Absolutely. I agree.
What bummed me out was that the poem repeatedly contrasted the soldier (courageous and heroic) with the politician (portrayed as anything but.)
Stanza after stanza repeated the contrast. At the end of it, I wondered why anyone would want to go into public service.
Politicians can be skeezy lying jerks. But often they’re not. Yet we paint them with this brush of hatred.
If nobody ever took those roles, a lot of work wouldn’t get done. Many of us shake our heads and say, damn, I’d never run for office. I’d never want to be a politician.
But somebody has to be. Aren’t you glad somebody steps up?
The poem I heard on Memorial Day described politicians as cowards. I wondered what the poet thought of John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, and Abraham Lincoln. Or Indira Ghandi, Golda Meir, Margaret Thatcher, and Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.
Of the 535 men and women of the House and Senate, there must be dozens we could appreciate. As a moderate/lefty, I’ve complimented politicians when they stick up for the poor or the health of our planet, and I don’t care what party they belong to.
There are people right now on your city council, county board of supervisors, or school board who serve because they are trying to help the community. Some of them are making personal sacrifices to do so.
If all the politicians left their jobs tomorrow, tired of being pelted by rotten tomatoes as a matter of course, we’d be in a fix.
I’m tired of all the negativity, and that poem stuck in my craw. Why was it necessary to kick somebody in order to raise somebody else up? That’s the fog we’re in right now. It’s red against blue, Paris against Pittsburg.
But I have a solution in mind. There are 100 million people in the U.S. who are our age. People who are old enough to know how to mend and fix relationships. Old enough to know how to nurture, how to build up. How to get the most or best out of people.
Knee-jerk negativity is popular right now, but it’s a bad habit, a slouchy, lazy habit. We can change that.
We could offset the negativity by recognizing the good in people more often. We could diffuse the polarization everybody complains about, by demonstrating the courage of an open mind and independent thinking. We could judge people by their actions, instead of their jobs or creed or age.
We could stop marching in negative lockstep.
We could. We older people. We’ve seen so much; we’ve seen it all. We’ve been through enough heartache to be compassionate. We’re strong. We’re generous. We know what’s important.
Our country needs us now, more than ever.
Thanks for listening.
Well said. My husband has worked as staff for local governments, and we have both seen firsthand how much time and hard work can go into governing. Attending council planning sessions and meetings, reading (and understanding) proposed laws and proclamations, attending civic events, meeting with constituents, meeting with professional staff, learning about budgeting and all the other details that make a municipality function,… and the list goes on and on. We have met many more good politicians than bad ones, and I’m guessing the same ratio applies at the state and national levels.
I think that if we stop and listen carefully, we can hear the voices of those who Mr. Rogers called the “helpers.”
Even with our little old HOA, there are the helpers who step up, and the complainers who are never satisfied. We should be grateful to the ones who step up! And re your comment about ‘the same ratio’, people are people. No one group has a lock on virtue—not civic servants nor the private sector, not politicians nor those who would never touch that profession with a long pole. Thanks to all who serve ethically, in whatever capacity.
Hi Lynne! I so agree with your perspective on this. I do my very best to remind myself that sliding deep into negativity on any subject seldom helps anyone (and usually hurts me the most!) But looking for good in everything–yes even the current administration–is far more valuable than sinking into despair or anger. The good that I see in what is happening is forcing so many of us to stand up against injustice and refuse to let the direction of our country be determined by less than scrupulous people. Women are more engaged today than ever! I don’t know anyone who didn’t think our government needed to be revised before DT, and now we have the opportunity (and the responsibility) to do something about it. And yes, those politicians who are doing it right deserve our support and admiration. ~Kathy
Yes, this feels like a national powerwash. All our civic systems, which have been lying on the floor gathering dust, are going through a good cleaning. It’ll be a useful exercise, if we don’t suffer significant permanent damage. Thanks for stopping by, Kathy.
I agree that politics should be a noble calling, but it seems to me for the most part it’s not. The process or the experience is so brutal that good people are reluctant to jump into the fray. My husband and I were talking about Governor Brown last night. I think he’s so good because life has knocked him around a bit, and he has experience, wisdom and age. Sadly, you cannot say the same of our president, even though he is older. Intelligence must be the differentiator — Brown has it, and Trump does not.
Donna, great to hear from you!
I think politics is like any other job. If you’re the kind of person who has good character and ethics, you’ll represent your profession well. Unfortunately, we see too much of the opposite in politics, because it’s so visible. But people are just people. No political party has a lock on virtue.
BTW, I’m delighted to hear you compliment Jerry Brown. He’s not perfect; who is? But what a guy! Did you see him interviewed on the Rachel Maddow Show about going forward with the Paris Accords anyway? He actually used the term “null hypothesis,” as in “Trump represents…” And as a positive-ageing advocate, I love his energy and later-life journey. https://youtu.be/X9_bBhRbuwQ
Hope you are well and loving life.
Just watched it — love that guy. Thanks for the link! I live in California now, and it feels great to know he’s at the helm, at least for a little while longer. I’m doing great, loving life and about to love it more post-job. Feel free to email anytime! Meanwhile, I continue to read your wonderful blog.
Here’s a cute picture for you. Yes, he dated Linda Ronstadt.
Well said, Lynne. Unfortunately the examples at the highest branches of leadership right now are so unfit for the task, we tend to berate anyone in politics. I like your idea of older people , who have seen it all, speaking out, so “we can stop marching in a negative lockstep.”
But you know, he (we know who “he” is) is having a wonderful galvanizing effect on many things he wants to wreck: the press, the 1st amendment, interest in and greater understanding of civics, the importance of voting, the difference between spin and outright lies, an appreciation for the lowly and dedicated civil servant, the value of collective action (in the present context, as with elders), the need for multilateral cooperation, and the fight for the planet. Everywhere he poops, flowers bloom.
I agree that a little kindness and affirmation for the folks who are doing it right would go a long way. We can’t let the bad guys win, and a pat on the back for the good ones who are willing to step up will–I hope–keep them willing to serve. But the a-holes still deserve our criticism!
They definitely do. Like the reporters hammering Spicey today about Trump’s view on whether or not he believes climate change is a hoax. I haven’t seen reporters so exercised in a long time. It was great.
I agree with you, not all politicians are bad. I worked in Florida in the legislative process for many years. There were truly more good man than those that were those selfish and in it for themselves.
I just retired, though. And I noticed in the past decade before retirement that the number of selfish and those in it for themselves was increasing.
You are right. We do need service-minded individuals in elected positions. And you were definitely right that it is wrong to paint all of them with the same paintbrush.
Thanks for saying what needs to be said.
Cindy
And thanks for backing me up, Cindy. Part of my ire comes from having spent my career years in the public sector, and hearing celebrity mouthpieces (like AM radio talk show hosts John & Ken in Los Angeles) make horrific, horrific statements about people like me. As if it’s a given that we’re all corrupt, venal, stupid, and inept. It hurts to be the victim of such prejudice, and can have a dampening effect on those who might otherwise go into public service. In my town, Hemet, CA, we have a lot of good people at city hall. A person can find such examples everywhere, if they have the courage to be objective. PS Congrats on your retirement!