If you were to ask me what I love the most about being a journalist, I would say, without a doubt, it's the amazing people that I get to meet practically every single day. Additionally, it's the opportunity to learn new things GÇô I am constantly learning fascinating things that I didn't know before GÇô every time I write an article.
I generally do all my interviews in person GÇô it's just how I prefer to do my job. It's more time-consuming in the long run, but I am simply not able to be an effective interviewer over the phone. Every single time I do a phone interview it is unsatisfactory and frustrating because logistically, it is impossible to hold on to a cell phone and try to type what the other person is saying. It's probably my biggest shortcoming as a journalist, but it is what it is.
I'd rather meet people in person anyway.
I can say, with 100 percent honesty, that I have almost never walked away from an interview without being utterly dazzled and amazed by at least one aspect of that person. As far as elected officials go, I can say, with 100 percent honesty, that it does not matter where in the political spectrum they are; I enjoy, admire and greatly respect everyone I've met. I've sat in meetings and listened to them speak on numerous occasions and been blown away by how articulate and smart and awesome they are; no matter where in the political spectrum they fall.
I never understood politics before GÇô not that I really understand it now GÇô but at least now I have a very basic level of comprehension about the way things work.
I remember once about 10 years ago I wanted to date this guy who loved politics. So I decided that I too would love politics.
It didn't work out so well for me.
I sat down at my computer, determined to walk away only after I had a complete understanding of what a Democrat was and what a Republican was. I visited a myriad of informational websites and several hours later I quit in exasperation. I still had no clue what a Democrat was. I still had no clue what a Republican was.
West Wing changed my life. I've said it before, perhaps a bit facetiously, but it's really true.
And then I met Polly, this newspaper's former editor. She used to say, "Election time is my Super Bowl.Gǥ At the time I thought that was the strangest thing I had ever heard, but now I understand completelyGǪ Except for me it's not really like a Super Bowl because, for the most part, I love all the candidates and it's difficult for me to choose a side.
When she asked me to start covering city council meetings over a year ago, I figured they would be boring, but I was willing to do anything to be able to contribute more to the newspaper.
It turned out that I loved city council meetings. And they've broadened my understanding of what politics really is.
This year marks the first time in my life I've voted. I've never voted for a United States President. Granted, that's a rather shameful admission, but it's the truth. I lost my voting rights for many years due to criminal convictions and before that, to be entirely honest, I didn't understand why voting was important.
It is a miracle that I am able to vote and I am extremely grateful to have gotten my rights back GÇô and I will never ever do anything to compromise the privilege. While maybe I haven't cared in the past, now I do care, and I care a lot.
I understand that I'm late to the game, and maybe politics have always been like this, but the vitriol I've witnessed on social media since Tuesday, Nov. 4 has been absolutely soul-crushing.
I would never ever, ever, degrade someone, declaring them "unworthy of voting,GÇ¥ or "stupid,GÇ¥ or a "dummyGÇ¥ or a "sheep,GÇ¥ plus many other words that I am not allowed to print, just because they voted a certain way.
And I don't think anybody else should, either.
I'm not pointing fingers at anybody. I've seen this come from people on the left, I"ve seen this come from people on the right, and I've seen it come from people in the middle. It breaks my heart. We have a dismal voter return rate in this state. As of Sunday, Nov. 9, Snohomish County was at 44.04 percent, Skagit County was at 49.17 percent and King County, where I live, was at 44.81 percent.
I don't think all the hatred and the name-calling is really conducive to promoting the democratic process. Do we really expect people to get excited about voting when they are viciously attacked for what they believe in? I've been emphatically dismayed by the relentless and incessant judgment. I don't understand why people seem to think that it's okay to be so downright disrespectful and just plain mean. What makes this country so great is the fact that we are all free to make our political choices based on what we believe in!
I literally saw someone on social media claim that they were so upset by the results of a particular ballot initiative that they would have preferred it if all those who disagreed with their stance had just not voted at all. Really? You'd rather have a voter return rate of 20 or 25 percent with everybody thinking the exact same way?
Seriously?
Wow.
Because I wouldn't.
One of the best things I heard last week was from Monroe business owner Sam Wirsching, who spoke at last Tuesday's Monroe City Council meeting. His comment had nothing to do with the mid-term election, but I strongly feel that it applies.
That's another reason why I love council meetings GÇô you never know what amazing thing you might hear.
Sam said, "My management/leadership style is that iron sharpens iron. That you have to have conflicting views to come up with the best idea.GÇ¥
You have to have conflicting views to come up with the best idea.
I want to shout that from the rooftops.
I am so lucky to live in Washington State where I was able to retain my right to vote; there are other states where I likely would have been barred for life. I am lucky to live in a country where I was given the right to vote in the first place.
I have always been the first person in the world to consider myself the worst person in the world. I struggle constantly with self-kindness and approximately 99.9 percent of the time I am completely convinced that I'm a hopeless failure. But I am smart, that's the one positive quality that I will give myself without a single qualm. I'm not stupid or unworthy of voting or an idiot or a dummy or any of the other insulting rhetoric that's being tossed around so fluidly.
So I will vote. I will continue to do my research and exercise my right to vote, because I can. I am proud of who I vote for and the way that I vote on issues. I feel honored to have been allowed to participate in the process despite the mistakes I've made in my past.
Call me all the names you want.
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