I discovered a long, long time ago why i was not destined to be a politician.
Bear with me as I tell you the synopsis of a true story. I will advise you that there may be some that will remember it differently, but I am trying like Hell to tell it honestly and truthfully.
At the end of my Junior year at Ft. Bragg, CA High School, I ran for Student Body President for our upcoming senior year. A little digression is needed here. I was a overweight, naive, socially-awkward, underachieving student. My only ”saving grace” seemed to be that several of the people that had befriended me were in the ”in” crowd and i followed along. Another secret: I knew what was going on but I wanted so desperately to fit in.
In any case and for whatever reason, When the votes were counted, I came in 3rd. What was an anomaly about this was, via individual polling, I had won in 17 classes (including the 2 biggest [PE]), and second in 5. As there were only 22 classes, there was little or NO chance that I came in 3rd.
Here is the reality. My background, as described above coupled with the fact that I came from a distinctly ”blue collar” family; as well as the Principle and Dean of Students (both politically aware) counted the votes. You wouldn’t think that anyone would give a rat’s ass about things like this in a high school: Welcome to small town America.
But here is the crux of the issue: I was not going to be Student Body President, regardless of reality. So, I did the next best thing: 1) I immediately, openly, endorsed and campaigned for the remaining candidate in the runoff that was closest to my thinking; and 2) becoming an outspoken fighter for student rights for the next school year — in particular not allowing the administration the ability to count the votes.
Why am I sharing this now? Simple! We often have candidates who do not have a hope of winning, even when they should win, even if there message is being lost or stepped on. All to often they go down with there guns blazing; as if making a point in an election does a damned bit of good.
Often, their petulance and selfishness results in the election of the one who least represents their values. It is as if they wish the worse on the electors if they don’t vote for them. Childish if you ask me.
Hell, I learned to be more mature than that at 16 years old!
Run, Betsy, Run? WHY?
