LWVMZC Newsletter

C0−President’s Message

In the midst of winter, albeit a fairly mild one, we look forward to a soft spring and the return of the green and color of summer. With today’s wind and chill I pause to consider what this winter has brought to us as League members.

Firstly, the seemingly unending G.O.P. debates have become the new Survivor reality series. With each new program the number of podiums has declined and the final contestants are bashing it out. These debates and the media saturation of the primary battles reminds me of so many t.v. shows that I wish would be canceled and just disappear. “The Bad Girls Club”, “Jersey Shore”, “The Real Housewives of Wherever”, are all just the same model of bad civility and ludicrousness. When I read of the Lincoln/Douglas debates I long for the erudite and articulate discussion of ideas, philosophy, and leadership they displayed. Disagreement was open but moderated. Discussion was intellectual and thought provoking. Now it seems that just candidate bashing with real or made up character criticisms are what it is all about.

Thanks to the League, however, good, solid, clear, concise information is readily available on all of the issues. Don’t hesitate to go the national League’s website: www.lwv.org for fact based responses to your questions about candidates, proposed legislation, and national issues.

My admiration goes to any individual or group of people who are willing to stand up for what they believe. It does not matter if you agree with them or are totally opposed to their stance, you have to admire their commitment to a cause and the willingness to express it. The folks who belong to the Tea Part or the 9−12 organization willingly attend meetings and make their points of view heard. The ‘Occupy’ folks who stand on the corner on Main Street regardless of the weather and hold up their signs demanding ‘one man−one vote’ rather than ‘one corporation−all of the influence’ also deserve our admiration and support. We are a great country with broad shoulders. We can take criticism and dessent. That’s what our Constitution is written to guarantee. Along with that vocal and written protest must come the responsibility of respect and regard for each other and our differences. Sandra Day O’Conner said it best when she said the Supreme Court guarantees that the minority has the same right to be heard as the majority. Let’s all agree that when we disagree that we do it with dignity and grace.