Come On, Folks...

11/7/2017

The polls had been open only a half hour this morning when I pulled into the parking lot at Mills Godwin High School to vote.

I was surprised by the dearth of cars and campaign workers, even at 6:30 a.m. The campaigns for statewide office and House of Delegates seats had generated so much media coverage that I figured that I’d at least have to wait a while, but there was a much larger crowd in the gym for a pre-dawn basketball practice than in the adjacent auxiliary facility that served as a precinct station.

As one who doesn’t relish lines, I was glad to walk in, give my name and address, show the registrar my driver’s license, then fill in the tiny ovals on the ballot and head off to school.

I’d long since done my due diligence and made up my mind, so when I was approached by two folks – one representing the Republicans, the other the Democrats – my first instinct was to smile, say, “No, thank you,” and continue on my way.

Any questions I can answer for you? asked a guy with an Ed Gillespie for Governor sticker on his blue jacket.

His Democratic counterpart moved within earshot.

No, I responded, but I have a question for both of you. Actually, it’s a statement.

Stay calm, I reminded myself. Don’t shoot the messenger.

Tell your folks, I began, that there’s at least one voter who’s really tired of all the non-stop sniping, bellyaching, finger-pointing, and accusing we’ve listened to. They’ve spewed so much drivel and baloney that they’ve turned me off and, I’m sure, a lot of others as well. Come on, folks. Stop this stuff. Let's be big kids.

They agreed that the disagreeable verbiage had gotten well out of hand.

Before you walked up, we were talking about just that, the Democrat said. We were wondering why everyone can’t just be civil and get along. The Republican nodded in agreement.

It all seems so simple to me, I said, knowing full well that nothing is ever simple in the blood sport called politics. Just once, I’d like to hear a candidate say what he proposes to do, not what he thinks his opponent has done wrong. I’d like to see one of them take the high road, not the low road. Campaigns these days seem to be run on insinuation, accusation, and vitriol. How can anybody get a clear picture? It might sway some people. Turns me off big time.

I was on a roll.

And what are they telling our children? What kind of role models are these people? If kids said some of the stuff they’re saying, they’d be sitting on the bench outside the principal’s office. Maybe I’m old school, but verbal jousting in 140 characters without regard for facts seems so very, very childish to me.

While we’re at it, every flier that’s landed in my mailbox has gone straight to recycling. What a waste! Really. Wouldn’t it be nice if they could take all the money they spend on trashing each other and donate it to some food pantry or non-profit that would help the City schools? There’re plenty of other places that could use the help too.

And robocalls. Geez! Trust me, a recorded call from Jerry Falwell Jr. or the NRA or even one of the candidates won’t sway me for a second.

The Republican then posed an interesting question: Ever thought about running for office?

No, I said. First, I don’t have the stomach for it. Second, I’m not a political person. Never have been. Never will be. I vote for decorum and decency and compassion and honor. I don’t vote for what’s best for a particular party but what I think is best for Henrico or the Commonwealth or the country. I vote for the candidate who I feel respects his fellow man, who will serve the underserved, and who celebrates diversity. Granted, that’s a process of elimination sometimes, but that’s the way I do it.

Others were arriving. I’d offered my two cents. I went inside, performed my civic duty, then headed off to school.

Tomorrow will be better, I thought. Tomorrow has to be better.

-- Weldon Bradshaw

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