Midterm elections are upon us once again. This time, however, the choices are finite. There are no major distinguishing ideas, viewpoints, thoughts, notions or even beliefs that differentiate one candidate from the other. There is simply red or blue.
It used to be that elections were about people. About electing individuals with ideas, solutions and most of all character and personality. It was about people who believed in themselves, and wanted to share their vision, their inspiration, their hope and their dreams with others, in an attempt to move our cities, our states, our nation, forward and upward, and in the process lift our spirits and our commitment to our evolving and maturing democracy.
Elections used to bring out our brightest, and our best, men and women, who articulated and voiced their beliefs and opinions about our government and its role in our daily lives, and how they, as candidates, could and would keep our legislative and executive branches of governance on the right path to maintaining and achieving goals to enable the next generation to reach further and higher levels of achievement, success and accomplishments. That was then. This is now.
Back then we had candidates and leaders with character, which strongly influenced their behavior, and our perception of their ability to lead and to inspire. Today we have candidates and leaders who listen to dog whistles and who are led around on dog leashes by egotistical and arrogant politicians and corporations, supremacist organizations and religious fanatics, who aspire to manipulate and control the influence and power of those on their leash.
And it’s working, as 32% to 35% of our population are hearing the high-pitched dog whistle and are willing to be muzzled and led around with leashes and yokes, and are willing to endure the demeaning and humiliating jerks and yanks by those who control the reins of power, control and influence.
Why would 32% to 35% of our population want to be manipulated and made to roll over and play dead when told to, when they already have experienced, and in fact, are experiencing, the exhilaration and exultation of living free, of being free, and of having choice in every aspect of their lives? What happened to make them choose to give up and bow down to a master, instead of being masters of their own lives, of their own destiny? What made them turn their voices into barks, snarls and growls, instead of roars, shouts and howls of pure triumph and jubilation at living in this evolving and maturing nation of dreams and of hope?
When will our brightest and our best once again surface to represent us, inspire us and lead us? When will we see candidates and leaders with character emerge from beneath the thumbs and reins of political parties whose only goal is power and exploitation, not representation or demonstration of civility, deliberation, understanding or respect? Unfortunately, this is our political reality today. A reality based on dog whistles and dog leashes.
Elections matter. We can free ourselves from the leash of political tyranny with a vote for return of our political voice and our political choice. We must let candidates know that character does matter, independence does matter, and that their obedience to the jerks and yanks of their leashes by their political handlers/masters only clarifies and illustrates their disqualification to be a representative of the people, for the people, and of the people.
Dog whistles and dog leashes. We are not political pets. Don’t treat us like one. And to those running for office during this mid-term election, don’t become a pet on a leash. Be your own man or woman. Speak up. Don’t just bark, snarl and growl to get your parties’ attention. Words, ideas, solutions and dreams do matter. They did to our Founding Fathers. They still do today. Let us see you. Know you. Respect you. It’s embarrassing for us and for you to see you simply roll over and play dead.
Al Garcia lives in San Juan.
