Midterm elections are here. On November 2, 2010 a tiny fraction of Illinois' US citizen residents will head to the polls to elect our next governor, our junior U.S. senator, members of Congress, state senators and representatives, the state attorney general and on and on. This is a time for American Muslims to get involved. In an ideal world, that is.
How many of us have complained about the policies of our government? Admit it, we do it a lot! No matter where we are - at work, talking amongst ourselves while our kids play at the park, at a Cubs game or at the mosque - it comes up. Here are some topics that have come up in my own conversations:
"How are the schools in your area?"
"My property taxes are way too high but my appeals were denied."
"My Mom's working part-time just to get health insurance; when does Obama's healthcare law kick in?"
"Why does Rep. So-And-So say such anti-immigrant stuff?"
And admit this too: these conversation almost always include a prescriptive lament that goes something like this: "yeah, we really need to do something." Ho-hum. Haven't we all said this stuff?
Sure we have. I have a long list of exculpatory rationale I keep on hand to excuse myself for actually doing anything meaningful. Come to think of it, if there were a market for pre-packaged, creative excuses, I could become an excuse-marketing entrepreneur. I'm that good!
I'll share an example of a conversation that illustrates my adeptness at complaining without actually doing anything about it. The setting is a children's birthday party at someone's home on a Saturday night. This is the conversation between me and two other fathers:
Mo: "I liked that thing you posted about home-schooling on facebook."
Me: "Thanks."
Joe: "What was it?"
Me: "I asked if anyone was considering home schooling instead of sending their kids to the U-46 secondary schools."
Mo: "You said you would do that for your kids if the schools didn't improve too. That's ballsy."
Joe: "Really? You'd home school? You and your wife think that's a better alternative?"
Me: "Well, I haven't actually discussed it with my wife yet... But yeah, I think she'd agree with me on it. But the point is that the secondary education in our school district is bad."
Mo: "Yeah, it's really bad. I decided to move out of the district because of it. I was forced to buy this multi-million dollar home just to give my kids a better education."
Me: "You're a good man, Charlie Brown."
Mo: "It really sucks, ya know. Honestly - and I know people who don't know me won't believe this - but I feel awkward living in a gated community on these huge lots. And the kids at the school have all the latest PSP and other electronics and we don't have any choice but to buy the crap too."
Joe: "Back to the schools, though. Junaid, I sent you an email about this legislation to bring more money to U-46 over the summer, remember?"
Me: "Dude! I do remember getting something from you. I was swamped with family stuff at the time. I've been taking the kids biking and swimming weekly, plus we've been having friends over almost every weekend for cook-outs, we've had the weekend trips to the beach house in western Michigan and then the week long vacation to the Bahamas. Seriously, dude, it's been rough."
Mo: "I applaud you for doing so much for your family, man. I've been working like a dog just to keep up. That indoor swimming pool is so expensive to maintain! You're lucky you don't have one of these - trust me!"
Joe: "Yeah, it sounds like a brutal schedule bro. But the thing I sent you - it was about legislation to bring more money to U-46 and we need to get the grassroots to speak to their state legislators to support it. I wanted you to bring some of your neighbors together to talk about it at your house."
Me: "Damn dude! I would've loved to have helped with that! I'll definitely do something the next time."
Joe: "Well, actually, the bill passed but the Gov vetoed it. It's coming up in the November veto session. We need some help going door to door to get petitions signed asking the legislators to over-turn the veto. We could use your help."
Me: "Absolutely dude! Is $50 good?"
Joe: "No bro, I need you and your neighbors to help with the canvassing effort. Our U-46 Citizens Advisory Committee has a petition with all the relevant info on it. We're focusing on this effort precinct by precinct. If you could take charge of your precinct that would be a great help!"
Me: "Dude! It's gonna be tough. I'd love to help but on the weekdays I get home late from work, I gotta help the kids with their homework and then I work out. I'd be happy to give up the 3 hours I surf the web every night and post crap to facebook, but my neighbors wouldn't like me knocking on their doors at 10pm. Damn, that sucks!"
Joe: "Yeah, 6 to 8:30pm is probably the best time to canvass on weekdays. Well, what about the weekends?"
Me: "Weekends? Man, I've got the kids soccer practice, soccer games, Sunday school, my weekly long run, and on top of that I have the Iowa games on Saturday and the Bears game on Sunday. Plus, I'm doing this fantasy football league at work as a team-building exercise and that takes a ton of time."
Joe: "Hmmm. What about for an hour on Saturdays evenings? Most Iowa games kick off at 11am, right?"
Me: "True. I'll have to talk to the wife. I'm totally up for it but she's usually got stuff with my family or her family in the evenings!"
Mo: "I know what you mean. These weekend dinner parties are a killer!"
Joe: "Sure."
Names have been changed to protect the identities plus this is a made up conversation but it's "on-the-mark" in terms of my mad-excuse-making-skills. Take note of the way I deftly employ legitimate fatherly obligations against proposed civic-engagement. Brilliant.
So, my fellow "concerned fellow Muslim US citizens with lots of complaints but very little time to do anything to address your concerns", to you I say, gear up with the excuses or get else you'll need to actually get out and do something!
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If you've run out of excuses and - GASP - are going to get involved, here are some links to help you out:
Project Vote Smart - Illinois
Registering to Vote in Illinois (a pdf brochure)
Voter Turnout Is Key for Democrats in 2010
Illinois State Board of Elections
Senator Michael Noland
Rep. Fred Crespo
Gov. Pat Quinn
Toni Preckwinkle for Cook County Board President
Melissa Bean for Congress
Alexi Giannoulias for U.S. Senate
David Miller for Comptroller
Lisa Madigan for Illinois Attorney General
Greg Brownfield for Illinois House
Michelle Mussman for Illinois House
Corinne M. Pierog for Illinois Senate
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