When I buy ice cream for my family, I usually buy a half gallon of vanilla and one of chocolate. Those flavors seem to make everyone in the house somewhat happy on a hot Friday night in the summer.
The truth is, my husband would much rather have mint chocolate chip. You can imagine how many other votes that flavor would get in a house with three kids ages seven and under.
This got me thinking.
How many of us really get a chance to vote for our favorite choice in a two party system too?
I tend to run more moderate in my views and sway back and forth without going too far left or too far right and I have been judged and dismissed online and off for who people think I voted for in different elections.
Our society faces hatred and prejudice in so many forms such as racism, sexism, and homophobia.
Could we as a town and nation be facing a really rough bout with hatred and prejudice in the form of “politicism” too?
The reality is that we only have two main choices in many state and national elections. It doesn’t mean we support our choice’s every decision or believe their every word. It means we had to figure out what was important to us and who supported those ideals - or who at least came the closest. Sometimes, we even voted based on one or two issues that were a priority to us.
I know that it is acceptable to have political labels to associate ourselves and others by, but it is also important to remember that not every Republican is a conservative and not every Democrat is a progressive. They don’t always go together, they aren’t all negative, and they aren’t all alleged fascists or communists either.
In Fredon and nationally, we are all on different parts of the political spectrum - from the left to the right, mostly in between, and changing from issue to issue. It should be expected that we aren‘t going to agree on everything.
Different viewpoints are not the issue. Supporting or not supporting a cause is not the issue.
I believe it is the “politicism” that is holding us back as a town right now.
It is the hatred, prejudice, and automatic dismissiveness that is holding us back.
Big party mindsets won‘t help us look into consolidating schools to reduce taxes, retain our best employees, and bring more programs to students. They won’t help us negotiate recycling contracts. They won’t help us develop recreation programs for our seniors. They won’t help us fundraise for our volunteers.
They won’t help us in the next town emergency.
And, it doesn’t have to be this way. We are a very small town, so we have a chance to return the focus of our interactions online and off from debate (I am right and you are wrong) to dialogue (Let’s find common ground and solutions). We can even walk away until we cool off, think about it more, and come back when we are ready for dialogue.
I am human and far from perfect but I am trying to remind myself that almost everyone I know is probably like my husband and really wants mint chocolate chip but has to settle for either vanilla or chocolate.
I know they aren’t my favorite flavors either, but until one of my kids tries something new and tilts the outcome of the family vote, I don’t see any other flavor making it on our menu of choices for awhile either.
Until then, I will be having a scoop of chocolate, a scoop of vanilla, and - I am very proud to support - a big spoonful of rainbow sprinkles too.
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