Politics is a peculiar bird. It takes a special kind of person to want to be nominated or win the popular vote. You must have very thick skin and one thing I know for sure- I am not this person. I can promise you, if I ran for an office and I found out someone didn’t vote for me, I would have an overwhelming need to drive to that person’s house and ask them why they didn’t like me. I would take it very personally.
My grandfather, Melvin Young, loved politics. He was a diehard republican who every once in a while, according to Sam Cannon, would get himself into trouble on election days. He was fierce, loyal and a force to be reckoned with and if you didn’t see things his way, he would take matters into his own hands. I believe I got my love for politics from Papaw Young- not the fighting side, but the love side. I love the process, the fundamental basis of the people getting a choice, the mathematics and sometimes the surprise ending. It is like a good novel in many ways. The beginning is always interesting and informative, the ending is usually unknown until the last few pages and the middle can be boring, dramatic, messy or downright nasty.
So often I find myself cringing from the words and actions of those running for office. You can tell a lot about someone by how they run their race and I love and admire a good, clean race. One where opponents never mention the other’s name and they declare what they can and will do when in office. They follow the unwritten, common sense etiquette rules of running for office- present themselves in an upstanding and kind manner and humbly ask for your vote. There are all types of candidates on the national, state and local level. I find myself always remembering the upstanding ones- whether they win or lose. Political legacy is important and being remembered as a fierce, enthusiastic, respectable and kind candidate is a hard job that unfortunately is achieved by fewer and fewer candidates these days.
I read an article recently that said “cursing is a reflection of a weak mindâ€. I took those words very personally, as I can insert some spicy words into my vocabulary quite regularly. I think the same can be said for mudslinging. I’m praying we can all work hard on our weak minds- me, especially.
