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Friday, October 01, 2004
Meet my kid: America

Just over a month until the election, and the first debate was last night. I don't really want to talk about the substance of it so much as about the effort taken to watch it.

When you are born in the United States, you are a child of this country. What America is shapes who you are, and you benefit and suffer based on the way it is run. Of course, I have no other frame of reference, but I feel pretty fortunate to have been born here. Obviously, it affords you more opportunities than most places, although certainly less than some others. Hey, I'm trying to be diplomatic here.

My parents never beat me over the head with love of country, at least not in words. I think the unspoken message was always, you get out of America what you put into it. Work hard, be honest. play fair, and things will sort themselves out. It's a pretty decent philosophy. And when you're a child, no one really expects you to understand the subtle nuances that go into democracy.

I definitely feel that upon reaching voting age, you are no longer a child of America, but instead, become it's parent. That's right, you are responsible for the course your charge, and your charge is a truly unruly bastard.

The first thing you need to do, is make it legal. Get registered to vote. America isn't going to listen to you if it knows you have no say in things. A kid doesn't want to listen, but if you can wave that ballot around like a trust fund, li'l America will do it's best to remain focused.

Secondly, you need to be informed. Read the paper every day. And I'm going to suggest the local paper, even if you think it sucks. Maybe you don't like the bias of it's editorial board, or you think the photos with the obituaries are poorly chosen. (They are!) Read it anyway. You'll at least get the gist of things going on in the world, and will be aware of things going on in your backyard. (You have moles. Sorry.)

Third, find out who your representatives are, locally and nationally. There are people in your city, state capital, and in Washington who represent you, believe it or not. And they all believe, whether they were elected with 80% or 50.1%, that they speak with the absolute voice of the people. Maybe they are. And maybe they are speaking with the voice of filthy corporate lobbyists. You need to find out. It's going to take some effort on your part, but you can Google and get most of the info you'll need. And no, you don't have a congressman named "hairy piss dog fuck nipple."

Fourth, run for office. Certainly you feel like you are not alone in your views, and can fairly represent your neighbors. Step up to the plate. Start with the PTA, or the local zoning board or city council. It doesn't matter where you serve, but you really should. It's an addictive thing, and I am not referring to anything so crass as power. I mean that when you participate, and see change that you helped create, you will want to do more. And then maybe you aspire to higher office. You may never be president, but that's irrelevant. Participation is it's own reward.

I don't have a fifth, but if I did, I'd be drinking it right now. People talk until they are blue in the face about America, and how much they love it. And I believe that many of them mean it. I've said in the past that I am no patriot. I don't believe that everything America does is right, or that the ends always justify the means. Your kids aren't all geniuses, and they make mistakes. They do stupid things, and they can embarrass you at times. Still, you love them, and only want what's best for them. The responsible thing to do as the parent of something as wonderful as America, is to be honest with ourselves. There are problems, but we can overcome them if we care enough to do so, and put the interests of the whole ahead of the interests of the few. We have great capacity to make positive change here, but it will not be achieved through ignorance, disinterest, laziness, or strict belief in ideology.

Step up. You are responsible for how your kid turns out. Take ownership of that concept.

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posted at 10:44 AM

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