I'm gonna preface everything by saying that going door-knocking one time by no means makes me any sort of expert on the subject of campaigning, even though I'll be writing as if I know everything about it. It's just the way I am. For the sake of disclosure though, I wasn't even that good at it.
I'm not even sure if I was really doing what I truly believe in. When it comes to politics I believe in the same basic principles as I do regarding any other subject. I believe that people are due the facts and owed the responsibility of making their own decisions. It's one of the reasons I try to cite everything that I write on this blog in one way or another. It's an impossible task especially when I'm not setting aside as much time as I'd like to for this to begin with, but I think it's important that people have the facts and know the difference when they're hearing opinion. I don't think it's my right to tell anyone what to think about anything.
However when your out trying to hit as many houses as you can, trying to drum up support, you don't have time to give people all of the facts, and most of the time they're not really interested in what YOU think is important. You have to convince them that it's vitally important that your guy win, and you have to convince them that you believe that to your core. They seem to respond to sincerity and to empathy. You have to tell them why your guy will be better for the issues that they care about than anybody else that they're running against. And you have to do it in the span of 20 seconds before they zone out and think about the TV show they walked away from to come talk to you. So I may have said some things that day that I didn't believe myself. I may have said some things that I have always thought were ridiculous talking points and couldn't believe worked on the minds of sensible people. I may have caught myself saying the kinds of things that I always picture consultants telling candidates that the voters really want to hear more than the issues. But I didn't have an hour to spend talking with everyone, and they sure as hell didn't want to spend an hour with me. So I came away from the experience much like I knew I would. I wish people knew more, I wish they cared more. Hell Iowa is incredibly important in the primaries, you could argue that it's the biggest determining factor in nominating the democratic candidate, the person very likely to be the leader of the free world in 2009, and last time only about 120,000 people made that decision! Still so many people said they had better things to do that day. But I also felt that I helped, and I sincerely hope I helped make a difference, and feel guilty I can't do more to help. And I'd do it again in a heartbeat.
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3 comments:
Rich, I think the things you bring up in this post are things that it takes most people much longer than one day of canvassing to realize, if they ever do. You have an incredible understanding and ability to analyze situations that, combined with experience, is a powerful thing.
I too wish people knew more, and wish they cared more. I will even say that I wish people more often tried to tell me what to think, because the inevitable result is that I am motivated to learn more to defend my beliefs and regardless of whether my beliefs are strengthened or I change my mind about what I believe, I'm better off because of it.
That's how progress is made... people engaged in open debate, whether it's in-depth discussion of the issues or just trying to plug a candidate with some sound bites to put a spark in someone's mind that could be partially responsible for motivating themselves to grow that spark into a fire of knowledge and understanding and awareness.
Though, honestly, a lot of campaigning frustrates the hell out of me for reasons that you described. I fully blame the media, for not focusing on things that are truly relevant when they talk about the candidates.
Rich, hopefully I can offer some comfort in saying that even if you affected just one person the whole trip was worth it. I'm sure you understand that people's ideas are steadfast and based on many factors that can produce this apathy and ignorance. It is very, very difficult to inspire change in those ideas.
But let's just say that one or two people you visited were affected by you. Now I'm not talking about a balls-to-the-wall epiphany, but you may have planted the subconscious seed of an idea. Perhaps because of you they might have watched one of Obama's stump speeches. There are many vines of potential interest and hence understanding that may spring from your 20 min. sales-pitch education. Just remember that things are slow in changing.
From the perspective of a teacher - even after having an entire year with students, perhaps only one of those topics discussed is just now starting to germinate. Education demands patience. At first you assume that patience implies discipline and management. To this I say, "NO! Bullshit!" That is but a small percentage of it. Patience is required because what you do today will almost never produce results that will be known to you unless you create a long standing relationship with your pupil.
Okay so you planted that seed. Now Obama has taken Iowa and there's a good chance that he will take NH. If I have faith in anything right now I have faith in this man. He is a motivator and is in front of the public eye, inspiring many to move into action. He does this by honesty and frankness. The hard facts tell me that people will never care as much as we want them to - even in many of the poorest countries you will find the same apathy. But if this one man can motivate crowd after crowd of the thousands who are drawn to see him speak, can you imagine what he can do in front of an entire nation? (And once again, this is taking into account that there are limitations on what can be *positively* done in 4 years). Look what he has done already. He has people paying attention and talking.
And in short - I do hope that there are better, more truthful and enlightened times ahead, and I trust and know that you had even the smallest influence on them. You just have to keep going with the idea that you are doing what many do not do - you are acting!
I hope this makes sense. I'm kinda ADHD in organizing a point.
...and by acting you are leading by example, touching more and more people.
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