You Can Make A Difference - Part 2

Frankly, as an American, I consider myself fortunate. I was born into a democracy with parents who deeply believed in making their voices heard through vigorous participation in “politics.” They encouraged me, as well, to “speak up” in life -- both as businessman and citizen.

When I was a kid, growing up on one of the poorer streets of Boston, I never thought about global anything. Each of my parents worked two jobs, merely to cover the basics. And despite their hard work, my family faced the threat of foreclosure: we were almost evicted.

All I knew, even as a boy, was that I was ready to work hard – really hard – in order never to live in poverty again. I also understood from my parents’ examples that it was important to be active as a citizen.

My mother worked for the City of Boston as an occupational therapist, so she was already inside “the system.” My father, too, was a Massachusetts municipal employee/

As a result of their perspective, I grew up used to the idea that politics was the way to make things happen. My father used to take me to his friends’ houses where we all worked as a team to create political signs for people’s front yards.

The truth is: politicians are simply people.  Generally (though not always) they respond to the voices, pressures and influences of other people. You know: voters!

My parents then had me going door to door, asking for signatures for whatever candidate for office they believed in. After I got my driver’s license, they had me bringing people from their homes to the polls to vote.

I continued to be active as a college student. Eventually I worked for state Sen. Joseph Timilty – driving him around from one meeting or fund-raiser to the next, while listening to and absorbing his advice to me and his conversations with others. I learned a lot about politics!

I fortunate, as well, that I’d been friends since childhood with one of Timilty’s legislative aides, Tom Menino. In 1983, I went on to run Tom’s first political campaign, which elected him to Boston’s City Council. He went on to become Mayor Menino, serving three successful terms as one of the city’s longest-serving mayors. The kid at the center of the image is yours truly, from way back then – via a Public Broadcasting documentary.

IMAGE CREDIT: Cinema Modeoff – “Meet Tom Menino” - 1984 WGBH (PBS station; Boston, MA) documentary follow futures Mayor Tom Menino on his 1984 campaign for city council, Credit: WGBH Archives,

One of the most useful learnings I’ve gained from this background is the way that volunteering in politics – in addition to simply speaking up and being heard – is the way to make things happen. Want a broken street lamp repaired? What a pot-hole fixed on your street. I can tell you for a fact: it helps to have gotten to know your own, local politicians.

If there’s a candidate you believe in and want to support, I’m here to suggest to you that your involvement may not only help get that candidate elected, but may also give you future access. Again: politicians are people. The more pressure they receive from people, the more likely they are to respond.

Here’s another story to illustrate the point. My wife, Cathy, and I live in a condo facing the Atlantic ocean.  A few years ago, a developer wanted to build a high-rise hotel directly between our building and the ocean.

When we told friends in the building that we wanted to hold political fundraisers on the rooftop of our building to oppose the planned intrusion into the neighborhood, many were dubious at first. “We don’t that kind of thing,” some said. “It won’t work,” suggested others.

But the cause was important to Cathy and me. It wasn’t just about preserving our ocean view. There were other, more practical concerns: traffic flows, pollution, the effects of a rising sea level and more.

So we managed to persuade our neighbors to support our holding a rooftop fundraiser. We picketed, wrote letters and attended other political events, too. We even created our own slogan: “Save Our North End Waterfront.” And we involved the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP.)

The exciting thing is: it worked! With a vote of 36 to 1, the North End / Waterfront Residents’ Association (NEWRA) voted in support of the resulting environmental finding that the underwater pilings at high tide in the ocean were not strong enough to support the hotel. In short: we successfully killed the unsafe and intrusive project. That is politics in action! We’d successfully swung public opinion.

I’ve learned that, beyond elections, one’s personal activism and leadership can make a tremendous difference. As an opposing (but friendly) attorney once admitted about the results we’ve been able to obtain in our neighborhood, our focus on electrifying our community into become alert voters, communicators and citizens was not just effective: it was unusual.\

Of this, I am certain: the percent of the neighbors in my building who vote at each election is now significantly higher than the general population. We have seen and lived the power of politics in action.

For us, it’s become a habit. By galvanizing our neighbors into action yet again, we curbed another local contractor who was developing plans for a seven-story building right next to ours. After learning that our building was filled with motivated citizens who are politically active, he modified his plan to avoid tangling with us: seven floors became just four!

Those are residential examples of politics in action. I’ve had similar successes for my business concerns, too. 

By applying my energies with tenacity, I proudly helped to defeat an unnecessary and hurtful beverage alcohol tax in Boston … this time by raising the consciousness and political will of my industry. In addition to writing public letters of opposition, I personally visited each Boston City Counselor with a liquor lobbyist … and the ill-advised tax was defeated!

The ability of each of us to make a difference – and certainly in the United States – is as fresh as each day’s news. One recent example as I write is the impact of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida after 17 lives were lost in a shooting rampage. 

It’s no coincidence that after the shooting, Florida Governor Rick Scott announced a complete ban on the sale of bump stocks (the attachments that let semi-automatic rifles to fire more rapidly.) Or that he declared his desire to raise the age limit to 21 for buying a firearm in Florida.

The secret to making an impact is not about income, age or even political experience … not nearly as much as it’s about one’s personal energy, determination and willingness to speak out for what one believes. Quite possibly you feel as I do – there’s still a lot that needs to be done in the world … and certainly in the United States.

EXAMPLE: As the World Economic Forum has revealed in November of 2017, the nation of which I’m so proud to be a citizen is not even among the top 10 nations in the world in terms of gender equality between men and women. Perhaps my own daughter will be one of the future activists who helps my country to become even better at living up to its ideals of true equality.

I leave you, in closing, with my absolute conviction – as a result of my own direct experience and observation – that whoever you happen to be … whatever causes and policies you happen to care about most … if you realize that you can make a difference, and if you then apply yourself to doing so, you will!

Speak up! Communicate. Organize. Lead. 

The result can be empowering … with tremendously satisfying results!