Passing Down Democratic Traditions
In recent weeks I have enjoyed
reading letters from other Gloucester residents who have taken the time to
express their commitment to the Democratic Party and to list their reasons
for such a commitment. In today's turbulent times, it is frankly unusual
to find people willing to stick their neck out and take a stand on an
issue, or to express fealty to a political party.
Many view politics as a disreputable pastime, certainly not something
to claim as an honest avocation. In a recent discussion with a neighbor
concerning the future of the governor of Connecticut, who is under a cloud
of questionable ethical behavior, I was told, "They all do it."
Well, I passionately disagree. They, which includes me, do not all "do
it."
For the better part of my adult life, I have been involved in politics,
always partisan politics as a Democrat. I was a junior in college and too
young to vote when John F. Kennedy ran for president in 1960. I was
intrigued with his candidacy and decided to get involved.
I took the $1 excursion from my campus into the big city (New York) and
found my way to JFK headquarters to volunteer as a "Kennedy girl." I still
have the straw hat with the picture of the young candidate on it from
those days. I joined the JFK bandwagon when I was a young idealist because
he represented what I believed in then, which are still the values I live
by today.
I was following in a long tradition begun by my immigrant grandparents,
who were always involved in some way with local elections. My mother's
parents were from Italy and my father's from Ireland, and I grew up in the
gritty city of Waterbury, Conn., where the Irish and Italians had a
regular ethnic clash going at all times.
But these ethnic groups dominated the politics. My Irish grandmother
was a ward leader, and I can remember standing out on the sidewalk in
front of our brick apartment house, holding a candle and waiving to the
parade of candidates that made its way through all the neighborhoods on
election night.
When I actually had my own family and was becoming more active in my
suburban community, where my husband and I had moved to give the kids a
better opportunity with what we considered a better school system, I
observed that people who were "for" the things I was, like more support
for the public schools and more affordable housing, were people who had a
connection of sorts to the Democrats. I became involved with the local
Dems and was elected to the local Planning and Zoning Commission, where I
became an outspoken advocate for affordable housing, including apartments.
I will never forget a Republican colleague on the commission chastising
me by saying, "Let them earn their way into town. Everyone can't have a
Cadillac for their first car. They have to have a Ford or a Chevy. Let
them live somewhere else first." I was shocked that someone would evince
such prejudicial comments at a public meeting, and with such conviction.
As I have aged, I have remained faithful to my commitment to affordable
housing, one of the pillars of the Democratic Party. I have heard numerous
Republican politicians declare that the market should take care of the
problem, or the private sector will take care of it. Well, that is
nonsense. It hasn't happened and it won't happen. Without a public
commitment to affordability, a commitment that all Democrats believe in,
we will continue to see families struggling and doubling up, single
mothers desperately seeking shelter, and individuals and families
experiencing homelessness.
I have also listened to and watched with horror as Republicans have
taken similar stands on public education, declaring that the private
sector can do it better. Well, they don't. Democrats believe in supporting
the public schools.
And on another front, we have the debacle of health care. The new law
passed to "help" senior citizens with prescription drug coverage does more
for the pharmaceutical companies (read big business) than it will do for
seniors. Why else would seniors be burning their AARP cards? The Democrats
once again are the party of the people on this issue, I am proud to say.
Perhaps those who are unenrolled will understand why, as the League of
Women Voters always says, you should not be "half a voter." We need people
to commit to a party in order to become active in the selection process,
so that caring, qualified candidates will come forward. We need to stand
up and take back our country, our values and our commitments.
I learned from my grandparents and parents. I can already see that my
children and grandchildren are following in that tradition.
When we all sat down to Christmas dinner, we asked my 10-year-old
grandson to offer some words of grace prior to eating. He gave the usual
thanks for family and friends and presents, and concluded with the hope
that all children would have a roof over their heads on this Christmas
night.
I did not prompt him. I could not speak for the tears streaming down my
face. He may be the only member of our family who is a Yankees fan, but he
sure got the value thing right. I can say with some degree of
satisfaction, he made me proud.
And I also am proud to say that I am a Democratic politician.
Mary Lou K. Crane was a regional administrator for the U.S. Department
of Housing and Urban Development in the Clinton administration, and has
held local elected office in Connecticut. She is a member of the
Democratic City Committee in Gloucester.
Gloucester
