After last year’s local election, I was criticized for not shaking things up more. I was an “issues” candidate, not a “personality” candidate. I bit my tongue, was ever-so-PC, didn’t engage in mudslinging even when provoked, said the nice things, and stuck to a routine campaign schedule. I was a boring version of myself – I was boring like the bland and dirty baked potato incumbents I was running against because I thought that was how I was supposed to win. I put on my suit jacket, scarf and heels and explained my opinions in a thoughtful, only mildly agitated manner. The craziest thing my team and I did was was deliver ghost lollipops with a clever poem attached (to vote for me, of course) to likely voters, just because I thought it was a cute idea!
It was only behind my closed doors (and at the occasional house party behind my host’s closed doors!) that I would get entirely worked up and, well, splenetic (a made-up (?) adjective an old boss of mine loved!)! Well, we all know how well that worked! Personally, it got me nowhere near a seat with the decision-makers…and as for the democratic process, perhaps even more disappointing, only 7% of our voters cast a ballot. People weren’t motivated to vote. grrrr.
What lesson can we learn from my experience? Shake it up, people! Make your opinion known, shout it from the mountaintop, sing impassioned pleas, write heartfelt letters to the editor (or a heated blog post…), be fervent in your efforts, be convincing, be relentless, be consistent, challenge others to engage in debate, and only then can you make others excited! Shout your opinions not just during election season, but all the time. Stop biting your tongue. When you’re wronged, tell people. When you’re wrong, tell people. When you believe in something, tell people. That’s how we change our communities for the better, and that’s how I know that I can change a debate – and so can you.
I’m kicking myself for not learning this lesson sooner, and I should have! Three years ago, my friend ran for Mayor. He was (and is) extremely qualified, had (has) great ideas, and would have turned this City in a much better direction. I wasn’t shouting my support for him from the mountaintops because I didn’t think I should. I was trying too hard to walk the line, to protect a little organization I had founded that needed to work in partnership with whoever won – I even facilitated their public debate! What I didn’t realize is that the dirty potato he was running against wouldn’t really support us anyway – that dirty potato could probably sense my distrust and frustration with him and his administration. I should have worked harder, been more obvious in my choices, and made a better case for my friend’s views. I don’t know if it would have helped, but I at least wouldn’t have thought “what if?”
From now on, I pledge to you to make my opinions clear. I will “out” stupidity, and I will promote intelligent and creative ideas when I see and hear them. You’ve probably noticed I’ve stopped biting my tongue. I’m tired of being PC. Please join me – let’s make sure people are motivated by the process to cast a ballot. Shake it up!
thesmallpotatoes 