Family Democracy

I was six years old when I was introduced to politics.  It was the election year of 1980 and my family lived in Georgia, the home state of one of the candidates, Jimmy Carter.  It was an exciting time for state pride although the other candidate, Ronald Reagan would go on to become president.  I had no idea what a presidential election really meant, but the charged atmosphere was enough to get my precocious mind thinking.

"Daddy, what party are you?"  I asked.
"I am whatever our president is," he replied.

At the time, I did not react to that answer. I was looking to hear one of two responses and I did not understand what he meant. Almost thirty years later, I consider it a beautiful and simple statement that has enormously influenced the way I live my life.

I remember when Reagan was up for re-election and ran a brilliant campaign commercial using the song, "I'm Proud to Be an American," with scenes of "real" America - farms, steel mills, churches and coal miners.  I was ten then and still did not understand the scope of politics, but I was hooked.  I was proud to be an American.  Considering the landslide victory that year, I think much of America felt this way.

Growing up, I had no political affiliation although I followed politics somewhat.  I wasn't a taxpayer and I wasn't old enough to vote, so I did not think it necessary to take a side.  I took what my dad said to heart.  I turned eighteen and started my first year of college in the election year of 1992.  I excitedly registered to vote in our campus mailroom.  Given the choice of party affiliation, I chose "Independent."  Now, don't get me wrong, I went to one of the most liberal colleges in the country and I've only voted in one direction the last seventeen years.  Yet, I valued my Independent status.

I vote in every election.  Sometimes my candidate wins and sometimes a different candidate wins.  The majority has spoken.  As an adult, I have strong opinions on the issues, but I haven't forgotten the lesson from my father.  In fact, I find it quite intellectual to understand and debate the opposite of what one thinks. I find it more rewarding to be compassionate and empathetic to other people's thinking than to bully others into my opinion.  That doesn't stop me from shaking my head in frustration, but I will listen respectfully.

It was not until later that I would understand that my dad was a citizen of his birth country India; thus, he was not able to vote in the 1980 election.  Despite this, he was and is well-versed in politics, current events, international news, and local affairs.  A lack of a vote did not mean apathy.  I've noticed that he takes the diplomatic route rather than the divisive one in most situations, whether presidential politics or family politics.  He has strong opinions, but he methodically weighs the arguments of both sides.  I am proud to be my father's daughter.