Local Politics - The Angels are in the Details
Originally Published in May 2014
Five weeks ago I embarked on the kind of roll-up your sleeves engagement that defines the local political process. Before setting off to my first meeting, I anticipated what was to come in this blog.
Town Meeting: the young, old, the right and left assemble for common cause
For background this was the spring session of the Representative Town Meeting, RTM, to which my community subscribes. It will be followed by a similar session in the fall.
Over the past 5-6 weeks, 180+ elected members have been assembling in the High School auditorium each Tuesday and Thursday evening. Not including the time needed to prepare each member, town officials (e.g. town planners, the superintendent of school, police and fire chiefs, etc) and interested citizens volunteered about 20 hours of their time to addressing a wide range of issues to help shape the town in the short and long term.
This particular (spring) session took on some fairly weighty issues such as zoning for medical marijuana, budgeting for technology in schools and making changes to existing, disused structures like churches and manufacturing facilities (for other, residential purposes). But when the session began its first order of business was to vote to fund a higher education account for the daughter of a town employee who was tragically killed on the job. When this vote passed unanimously I knew I was among friends.
More Democracy -Less Politics
I cannot speak for the closed door sessions that must take place about issues around town. After all somewhere, someone is trying to get what's best for them at the expense of others - that's human nature. But in the town meeting setting real democracy, fairly but firmly administered by the town moderator, was on display.
I quickly sussed out who was who...right, left and libertarian. While I vehemently disagreed with a number of presentations and debates made by members and citizens I wholeheartedly agreed with others. But the beautiful part was the equilibrium that was felt after each, meeting and the entire session as a whole. Passionate views were thoughtfully presented but never with a sense of doom and gloom. Subsequently, in equal measure, people who spoke on issues effecting their day-to-day lives either gracefully won or lost their debates but none raised a voice or stormed out in anger or protest if they failed.
It put me in mind of my long-held notion that politics in this country is a lost cause. I know now this is the lowest denominator of absolute rubbish.
Everyday moderately postured folks are giving up there time to offer debate or listen to someone's concerns to help make their neighborhood, community, state, region, country, hemisphere and world a better place to be. But here's the thing - it's hard work, it takes time and sacrifice, which may be why too many seem unwilling to get involved at that level. The option of more expedient virtual activism which we see most days on Facebook walls and Twitter accounts is far easier but much less effective.
For those satisfied to only scratch their political itch via Facebook I would suggest that you're are missing the point and a great opportunity to feel the gratification of thoughtful civic engagement. Inasmuch as I value and welcome real-time, virtual, social activism - after this experience - I can say definitively that certain matters are best done as part of a moderate, diverse, participatory approach.
For those who may agree here is one of countless resources available to help learn about getting involved.