Dedicated to Honey McCloud, Jan. 20, 1926 – July 28, 2018,
who taught me the importance of civility, honesty,
and integrity.
“When they go low, we go high.”
Michelle Obama famously said this at the July 2016 Democratic National Convention.
Today, that guidance is even more important as the tenor of public discourse slips closer and closer to the gutter. Heck, it’s often in the gutter.
As Heidi Beirich of the Southern Poverty Law Center wrote, there is an "increasing amount of hateful rhetoric flying from the mouths, or keyboards, of a growing cast of characters, up to and including, President Trump." Beirich is nowhere near alone in making this observation.
In my day-to-day life, I don't experience this rhetoric. Southerners are incredibly friendly. Yet, after working 22 shifts at Catawba County early voting location on behalf of Democratic candidates, I fully agree with Beirich's observation on a recent 1A program that "the real nastiness is coming from the right."
In five years here, I've had rough stints working the polls. In previous elections, I've felt as if lice were leaping off my head or I were an active carrier of the plaque.
This year, it's been harder. I see two reasons. One, I'm still a Democrat. Two, I am a visible Democrat. I am no longer a face in the crowd. Okay, it's not a big crowd, but some people know who I am. The local paper printed a photo of me at a Transgender Day of Awareness event. I led the Democratic Women of Catawba County for four years. And I write letters to the editor about politics and politicians.
This election cycle as a poll greeter some voters ignore me. Other times, they may simply shake their heads or say, "No, thank you," which is fine. The real pros are extremely skilled at avoiding all of us by taking the long way around. Then, there are the ones who call us "Demon-crats" or "Demo-rats," or are more mean-spirited like the old man who snarled, "Don't think I can drain the swamp if I vote Democrat!"
My fellow poll workers and I were called a "mob" within, it seemed, hours of the President using that term. Yes, that political party is a master of message discipline. We've also been baited and drawn into futile discussions.
I confess. I've done my own baiting.
The candidate running for reelection for my State House district wears a cowboy hat when greeting voters at the polls. A few days after an energetic discussion with him about a letter that I'd written to the editor about him, I started wearing a cowboy hat to the polls. After all, I am a native Texan and the hat helped me stand taller to represent our qualified candidates who I know are "All hat. All cattle."
A few days later, the two cowboy-hatted campaigners were standing side by side. I went toe-to-toe with him defending our state's poorly compensated public school teachers. When he boasted about teacher raises, I showed him an objective source stating that North Carolina's public school teachers are among the lowest-paid in the nation. His final response, "Well, they choose to be teachers."
At another point in that exchange, when I pointed out that he represents me, he replied, "I don't represent you."
Huh?
Meanwhile, at another voting location one of the opposition party's volunteers repeatedly reported me for infractions of electioneering rules. This is not my first rodeo. I know the rules. I follow them. A friend found this volunteer's Facebook page and a posted photo of me in my cowboy hat and a list of my "alleged" infractions.
I stopped wearing the hat, though I do like the look, warmth, and shade. Then, after hearing the Archbishop of Canterbury's great sermon on love while driving to one of my shifts, I wondered, can I love this person who lies about me? I know I should. In the heat of electioneering, I turned the other cheek.
Two years later, Michelle Obama sticks by her counsel of going high. So does Barack Obama. At a recent Florida rally for Democratic candidates, he said, above the noise of hecklers, "This is what I look forward to ... you've always got to have a few to know you're on the campaign trail."
When asked recently about going high, Mrs. Obama said, "Hope wins out."
In this county, we cannot count on hope. Hard work may win out. I certainly hope so. Our great candidates are running as hard as humanly possible.
While I work for the win, I'll strive to go high. Who knows? Maybe I'll earn the right to wear a white hat the next election.
Oh, may I tell you about our candidates? Would you like some ballot information?
