Associations
Oct. 10th, 2008 02:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
catsittingstillIn view of the McCain campaign's desperate attempts to change the subject from the economy and foreign policy by dragging out Barak Obama's past association with Bill Ayers (they served on a board of directors of a charity foundation together, and Ayers once hosted a party for Obama, when Obama was first running for the state senate of Illinois), I've been thinking about my own associations.
As it happens, I am presently serving on two boards of directors myself. And I have just realized that I don't know the first thing about the backgrounds of the people I serve with. I haven't hired a private detective to check them out (nor will I; it would be incredibly rude, and besides what normal person can afford that kind of thing?).
Take Mossy Creek Network. There's S, sweetly granola, simultaneously outgoing and shy, with roots that go back for generations in this area; J, proud owner and restorer of a historical farm; C, who has installed a windmill on his property to generate electricity. I admire these people for what they are now, but I couldn't tell you they were never members of the Weather Underground (except C, who is probably my age or younger, and was therefore either a child (like Obama, come to think of it) or not born yet at the time.)
Take the League of Women Voters. There's A, on the city council of the local city, J (different J), who organized our recent Candidates' Forum (and our upcoming one too), B, who means well but tends to be overcommitted. I can't prove that any of these people were never socialists, or communists. It seems unlikely, given the local political climate, but I haven't investigated them, and I'm not going to.
And John McCain can go soak his head.
While he's holding his face in the nice, cool water, he might ask himself if he's entirely comfortable with the hatred he's whipping up against members of the media and people of color. He might ask himself if the crowds shouting "Kill him" and "He's a terrorist!" and "Sit down, 'boy'!" are really showing the Republican Party to best advantage. He might ask himself what kind of legacy he wants to be associated with.
Just sayin'.
As it happens, I am presently serving on two boards of directors myself. And I have just realized that I don't know the first thing about the backgrounds of the people I serve with. I haven't hired a private detective to check them out (nor will I; it would be incredibly rude, and besides what normal person can afford that kind of thing?).
Take Mossy Creek Network. There's S, sweetly granola, simultaneously outgoing and shy, with roots that go back for generations in this area; J, proud owner and restorer of a historical farm; C, who has installed a windmill on his property to generate electricity. I admire these people for what they are now, but I couldn't tell you they were never members of the Weather Underground (except C, who is probably my age or younger, and was therefore either a child (like Obama, come to think of it) or not born yet at the time.)
Take the League of Women Voters. There's A, on the city council of the local city, J (different J), who organized our recent Candidates' Forum (and our upcoming one too), B, who means well but tends to be overcommitted. I can't prove that any of these people were never socialists, or communists. It seems unlikely, given the local political climate, but I haven't investigated them, and I'm not going to.
And John McCain can go soak his head.
While he's holding his face in the nice, cool water, he might ask himself if he's entirely comfortable with the hatred he's whipping up against members of the media and people of color. He might ask himself if the crowds shouting "Kill him" and "He's a terrorist!" and "Sit down, 'boy'!" are really showing the Republican Party to best advantage. He might ask himself what kind of legacy he wants to be associated with.
Just sayin'.
