Are you involved in politics? I want to be involved in politics. I’ve always said that if I don’t go vote then I don’t have the right to complain about the outcome of the election. But just because I vote doesn’t mean that I really know what’s going on or WHO I’m voting for. I want to have some sort of investment in our government, both local and national. There are moments in my life that I feel very passionate about certain issues. But when something isn’t in front of my face every day, I tend to forget about how important it is.
I don’t like that I do that.
One thing that I’ve observed about politics is that many times political parties will fight a loosing battle and ignore the desperate situations that they could change. I think that is probably true of most people at some point in their lives.
I think really, I just want to help people in some way that is tangible. The hard thing about not being involved in a church is that we don’t have that opportunity readily available. But we’ve also had a hard time finding a church that we like that isn’t inwardly focused. I want to see a place that makes a real difference in the community. But since I’m not finding that right now, I need to try to make a difference on my own. I need to know who I’m voting for and support the candidates that I respect. I need to make phone calls to congress and knit scarves for the homeless and… do something to make this world a little better.
And I need to not forget all this tomorrow.
Category: daily 6 comments »
August 31st, 2006 at 6:40 pm
*sigh* Me, too. I have such lofty ambitions of helping the world and then another day goes by. You know, we can start by making a scarf for Tsia’s drive this Christmas. I just got an idea and I want to go post….
September 1st, 2006 at 8:16 am
Politics is all about getting elected. It is all most politicians think about. If you want to go out and help people, you can just do it. If you (whomever may read this) think is is NOT just about getting elected and staying in office, just remember what the last presidential election was like. Can you tell? I am way against the phony-ness of most politicians.
September 1st, 2006 at 11:30 am
“Politics is all about getting elected. It is all most politicians think about.” Exactly. They aren’t going to talk about saving Darfur because not every one knows what’s going on in Darfur…but since most every one knows something about gas, insurance and other hot topic buttons that’s all they really care about.
One thing that crossed my mind one day when I was imagining the set up of my imaginary yarn store was that I would like to have a donation box so that my customers can knit/crochet baby items for the local hospitals. Maybe you (the one with out the imaginary store) can do something of that sort?
September 1st, 2006 at 12:10 pm
see if your local chapter of the league of women voters has a website (they should). when i lived in ohio, the OH league maintained a website with information on all of the political candidates running in each election, no matter how small the office. my philosophy is the same as yours (if you don’t vote, don’t complain) but i also feel that it’s irresponsible to vote for a candiate for which you don’t have some background information on, particularly on issues that are important to you. if i encounter a set of candidates on a ballot that i haven’t done at least some rudimentary research on, then i don’t vote on that particular office or issue. i’d rather be forced to not complain for a year than inadvertently vote someone into office who sets policies i don’t agree with.
btw, the league of women voters is just a great organization to get involved with if you want to be politicall active. they are a strictly non-partisan group whose main missions are getting people out to vote and helping to keep them informed of who’s running for what and why. your post reminds me that i need to contact my local chapter here in atlanta. =]
September 1st, 2006 at 12:12 pm
i also meant to mention that i never vote party lines, part of why the league’s work is so important to me. i vote strictly on a politician’s stance on the issues. sometimes that means i vote democrat, sometimes republican, and sometimes libertarian (my party of choice).
September 11th, 2006 at 4:01 pm
As far as helping others, is there any way you could run a food drive donation box at your store? Or something like that, if there is a shelter in your town that could use help? Or a scarf drive in the winter?