Archive for November, 2009

I once was Bill Clinton.

My sixth grade year I attended a small private elementary school, Mingo Valley Christian, which ran from K-4 to 6^th grades. Sixth grade at Mingo meant you were finally top-dog. Sixth grade meant the having the coolest teacher ever, an army chaplain with a cauliflower ear who spontaneously stop class to let us play football outside. It meant an overnight class trip to six flags in Dallas and the respect of all of the second and third graders.

My sixth grade year also meant elections. The 1996 presidential elections between Bob Dole and Bill Clinton (might as well throw Ross Perot in there as well) were happening as well. In an attempt to teach us young’uns about the democratic processes of America, our school decided that we would put on a full-scale American-style mock election, complete with debates.

Now, if you noted above, I went to a Christian school. A very Caucasian conservative Christian school (we did have one Asian in our class – Travis – the kid adopted from Korea by missionary parents. He farted a lot and made jokes about it. But his family was white, so I don’t know if that counts). So, when I got the sign-up sheet the teacher passed around, you can imagine how many people signed up to be Bob Dole – the list was as long as the Great Wall of China. The space under Clinton and Perot’s names remained blank. I stopped to think about the process. I was not the most popular kid in class – if dependent upon votes, I might not be picked. With a name draw, my chances for fame and notoriety were slim to none. Thus, in a brave political move that went against my fundamental beliefs at the time, that shocked my classmates and probably amused my teacher, I signed up to be Bill Clinton.

I thought about my strategy – I knew my chances for winning the election were practically nonexistent given the crows, but I knew if I could dazzle them, I might just have a chance.

And dazzle them I did. I made posters, I had a campaign manager, I met with the citizens of our school, I studied the issues and I killed the debates. I actually surprised myself how easy it was to see things from another perspective, especially if you are trying to convince someone about that perspective.

Then Election Day came. Bob Dole won by a landslide. I rallied a total of 2 votes. I remember walking glumly through the playground and several students coming up to me and saying “Actually, I would’ve voted for you but, you know…..” and “I wanted to for you, but my parents don’t like Clinton”

Now in thinking back, it is interesting how ideals and politics are ingrained in people from the time they are kids, and how many people take these ideals for granted. In my childhood, I remember feeling utterly disgusted at the candidate in the political party different than one my parents (and consequently I) subscribed to. I got so upset and disappointed if the party I liked was defeated in an election.

Now I try to think about things a lot differently. I think about issues from many different perspectives, and I try not to think only in terms of a candidate’s party. I remember how easy it was to think from a different perspective in my 6^th grade elections, and looking back how frustrated I felt that no one would vote based on the points I made, the things I had done, or the person I was. The person is more important than the party to which she or he subscribes.

I’m not trying to be didactic…I’m just sayin’…