I was driving around with my dad over the weekend, and we begantalking politics. My dad, who is a hard-working blue collarDemocrat, threw me for a loop when he told me he was unsure who hewould be voting for in the upcoming election.
I went into my usual John Kerry spiel about where he stands andwhat his priorities are and so on and so forth. I caught myselfabout halfway through when I realized who I was talking to. My dadhad always supported the Democratic candidates, so why was he sounsure this time? I asked him why he was hesitant as to which wayto cast his vote, and he replied, "Because Kerry isn't verynice."
I, being a strong supporter of Kerry, asked him how he came tosuch a conclusion. "I met him, he wasn't nice to me," he said.
My jaw dropped and I almost lost control of the car because Iwas so excited.
"Dad! Why didn't you tell me you met John Kerry?" I asked. Hewent on to explain to me that Kerry, along with some members of hiscampaign, had paid a visit to the Food Bank of Oakland County(FBOC). The non-profit organization distributes food to thousandsof hungry Oakland County Residents and is among the largest foodbanks in the Midwest. My dad is a warehouse manager and workshands-on with all the donations that come into the food bank.
Kerry, followed by a crowd of media personnel, circled aroundFBOC's warehouse and took pictures of Kerry "helping" the needy. Heremoved his suit coat long enough to move a few canned goods fromone box to another while the newspaper photographers and televisionstations watched.
"He didn't give to the needy, he just made it look like he wascontributing to feeding hungry people," my dad said. "I thought itwas deceitful, he didn't even offer to stay and help or anything.That's not what feeding people is all about." Then Kerry's crewstarted hanging posters all over the place to take video footage ofKerry roaming the food bank with campaign signs filling thewarehouse. My dad asked Kerry to refrain from hanging the signs. Heexplained that they were an independent food bank, and they acceptdonations from both Republican and Democratic companies. Kerryreluctantly removed his signs from the wall, and then refused totalk to my dad the rest of the visit. Bad move John Kerry!
Although I am glad my dad told me this bit of news, it wasdiscouraging to hear. Nothing has ever made me want rethink myvote, but I have to admit I was a little ashamed of Kerry. I docommunity service with my dad all the time, and there is no feelingmore gratifying than contributing to the saving of lives. My dadgoes to work every day and never gets any appreciation other thanthe feeling knowing he did the right thing. Because of his hardwork, children don't have to go to bed hungry. Kerry, who issupposed to be a man of the people, should know that doing thingslike what he did, or, more appropriately, didn't do at the FoodBank of Oakland County, is not earning him voters. In fact, he maybe losing them. My dad kept it from me because he didn't want hisscuffle with Kerry to affect my political position.
I still stand a strong Democrat, and I am looking forward tocasting my vote in November. However, I encourage all politicalcandidates, presidential and otherwise, to do the right thingrather than putting up a front.
Being fake proves nothing.
Write to Whitney at
wlhoyt@bsu.edu
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