Skip to main content

Red and Blue and Every Color In Between


I recently left the world of politics for the world of business.  To my surprise, the cultures have not turned out to be as distinct as I imagined.  Except for one glaring exception: me. 

In Washington, I considered myself a moderate in a town of party loyalists.  Much to the chagrin of my friends, I could even be found making libertarian arguments from time to time.  I was progressive, certainly.  A registered democrat, yes.  But I was really just a novice in a sea of experts, and still green enough on any given issue to challenge both red and blue.

At Sloan, my politics have morphed into my persona—like I am wearing a sign around my neck that says, “Let’s talk about the election!”  Except that it’s not just the sign that is saying it.   The words are literally coming out of my mouth.

I can’t help it.  It’s like a Potomac virus has gotten into my bloodstream, traveled north to my brain, and rearranged synapses so that I absolutely must speak about the state of America, the fate of our political system, and the importance of voting for Barack Hussein Obama.  [In case you haven’t heard, he is the President of the United States of America.  And he’s running for reelection.  Have you voted yet?]

I know what you’re thinking.  Not a great way to make friends.  But here’s the thing: the folks at MIT are nothing if not thoughtful.  [They’re also wicked smaht, but that goes without saying.]  And here’s what I’ve found: thoughtful people are often independent thinkers.  Few are interested in joining a party or falling in line behind a candidate.   They are aware of the need for government—though to differing degrees—and they recognize the good that it can do for our society. 

They also recognize the shortcomings of our political system, and the inability of any one person to rectify it.  Neither Mitt Romney nor Barack Obama is an answer on his own.  Nor should we expect any leader to be.

But the nature of a presidential election demands that we make a choice between two leaders—not just for who they are themselves, but who they will lead the rest of us to be. 

We do have a choice.  I think it is a very clear choice.  (A VERY clear choice.)  But I also have very thoughtful friends who disagree with me.  The truth is, our arguments are largely irrelevant at this point.  What does matter is that we make our opinions official.  That we VOTE, so that our vision, our values, and our preferences are reflected in the collective whole that will come together on Tuesday.  

Agree or disagree, we are all Americans, and we are all in this together.  Make it count.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Southern Politics, of the Heart

In the early Spring of 2018, a mentor gave my name to the Chair of Georgetown County's Democratic Party — their convention was coming up, and would I consider providing the keynote address?  There is most definitely a first for everything.  I accepted with gratitude and a healthy amount of anxiety.  Below is an excerpt from my speech, which I'm sharing now because I know many good-hearted, rational folks shy away from politics.  I get it, it can be uncomfortable, and it's certainly been divisive of late.  But we've gotten to a point in our country where we can't afford you not showing up to cast your ballot.   So maybe my interpretation of politics helps you a little, or maybe it totally pisses you off — either way, I hope it nudges you towards the polls on November 6th.    *** I'm biased, but my name is pretty special. I inherited it from my grandmother, who was a pretty special woman.  Most people called the first Caroline M...
Post a Comment
Read more

Name of the New Game

Four years ago I moved home to be a part of a growing movement for civil rights and social justice in the South. I have learned many, many lessons and found great clarity along the way.  In these four years, I have confirmed that the Southern Powers That Be are— surprise —still quite conservative. Not only in political persuasion, but perhaps more consequentially in tolerance of risk, of trying new things, of investing in people and ideas that have moved the needle towards justice and equality.  In these four years, I have also confirmed my long-held belief that— surprise again —the South is not universally conservative. Courageous Southerners (native and adopted!) are working on reversing all manner of injustices incurred in this generation and those long past—from public education to women’s rights to justice reform and beyond. Many are my friends. All of them are my heroes.  And after four years of Life-As-A-Progressive-Southerner-Living-In-The-South, I ha...
Post a Comment
Read more

Care about education? Want better for teachers? Vote like it

https://www.thestate.com/opinion/letters-to-the-editor/article212727544.html?platform=hootsuite LETTER TO THE STATE EDITORIAL BOARD LINKEDIN GOOGLE+ PINTEREST REDDIT PRINT ORDER REPRINT OF THIS STORY June 11, 2018 07:18 PM Updated June 11, 2018 07:18 PM COLUMBIA, SC  Did you know that May was Teacher Appreciation Month in South Carolina? Yes, indeed; proclaimed by every governor since 2012. The gesture, much like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day (June 17, by the way), is an important reminder to acknowledge and celebrate a group of people who are pivotal in our lives. Of course, we all know that every day is Mother’s and Father’s Day, just like every month is Teacher Appreciation Month, right? I wish. Though South Carolina’s teachers have not staged walk-outs like their peers in other states, our educators are no less struggling with the burden of increasing responsibilities compensated by decreasing paychecks.  Contrary to popula...
Post a Comment
Read more