National Notoriety?

In January of 2012, I wrote a summary in that I was surprised to hear that a recent study found Vashon Island was the most liberal city in the US.  It was the first time I have ever seen Vashon singled out in a national context for anything.  My second thought was that I, probably like most of you, suspected as much.  I expect our friends and neighbors who are conservative probably have dwelt on it more.  As you may have gathered by now, I am one of those liberals.  Of course, it pleases me to know that most of my neighbors think and feel the way I do on political matters.  The greater the number thinking in one direction, the more likely we are to see change that reflects that.

Beyond that, there is something unsettling about receiving that designation.  We have been labeled and stereotyped.  We all know that Vashon is so much more than a very liberal town:  we are drawn to it along with our conservative neighbors for so many other reasons.  Naturally, we love it because it is a very beautiful island in a very beautiful and bountiful part of the world.  We are also drawn here by the warmth and good nature of our neighbors, liberal and conservative alike.  We all know people who we like, but are careful not to talk politics with.

We don’t talk politics across party lines because our country has become polarized and there is no longer any way we can easily initiate such a discussion.  If you doubt that, just look at Congress, where the professionals are at each other’s throats while deadly serious crises in our country and in the world go unattended.

We might point to a conspiracy being played upon us by the two major parties and the wealthy interests that control them.  However, if that is the case, our conspirators have shown that they have very little foresight.  They have certainly divided and conquered, but, somehow, the rest of us still want to have a say in the game.  They would like us to just let business have its way and accept our subordinate place in the new corporate world, but we refuse to do so.   To find this resistance in our nature has been an exciting and engaging experience.  The only problem is that the solution that half of us proposes happens to completely exclude that of the other.

Truth and trust have become the main casualties of our time.  W. B. Yeats wrote the poem, “The Second Coming,” almost a century ago, and I suggest you look it up if you want to read a powerful description of the world we live in today.  It is shocking to both Republicans and Democrats that an entertainer like Donald Trump has garnered such a loyal following, saying more or less whatever seems to pop up into his head, with no regard for verity whatever.  Maybe the “reality” shows so popular on television have convinced enough of us that this is the way to deal with real problems as well, or maybe our perception of the real world has melded with make believe.

Many of us look at our “most liberal” status as a reason why Bernie Sanders is so popular here.  It is true that Bernie is definitely a liberal, but to characterize him using only that label seriously misses the depth and import of his candidacy.  If you watch him, you will notice that he precedes every policy statement with “In my view ” or “I believe.”  Rather than saying “the American people want …”, or just “we need…,”  he invites dialogue.   “In my view” implies another view, and he is more interested in finding the common ground and building from there than he is in pushing his own agenda.   That is why he went to one of the most conservative places in the country, Liberty University, founded by religious conservative icon, Jerry Falwell, to state his positions.  Nobody can really say what gains he made in the way of support, but he gained greatly in the amount of respect paid to him by his hosts.  Bernie’s mantra is “one voice, one vote.”  He is not just running for liberals, but for the right of everybody to have a voice in Washington and for our politicians to be truly accountable to what we want, not the special interests.  

So, rather than being the most liberal town in the US, I would rather be the community that helped begin the great coming together of America by finding the common ground that unites us.  I believe that that consensus is forming now and that it will be far more powerful than the current manufactured schism that divides us.

I am still inviting my fellow islanders of all stripes to sit down and start that dialogue.  I now realize that, for conservatives, coming to such a talk in the most liberal city in the country is a bit daunting.  I promise that everyone will have plenty of room to explain why they feel the way they do.  We really need this rapprochement and all opinions will be listened to respectfully.  This really can work!  After all, we are neighbors and already have a great deal in common.

Comments or interested in talking?   terry@vashonloop.com or 463 2812