Friday, April 07, 2006
"How do we decide?"
TIMES PICAYUNE
Jarvis DeBerry
(excerpt)
Months later, this same Bea Rill, self-proclaimed information connoisseur, actually called me. I didn't dare ask how she got my number. We talked late into the night about all the phoniness masquerading as political leadership. But then we lost contact.
"There ain't no place for truth telling in elected office. And there sure isn't any in campaigning.
Think about it. How many candidates have you heard say something that made you say, 'Now that's the sho' nuff truth?' "
"Not many."
"I'm gonna ask that question again. 'How many -- -- ' "
"OK, OK. You got me. Nobody."
"But we've still gotta vote for somebody," I said. "How do we decide?"
" 'We' don't," she said. Ain't but one person in that booth at a time. Vote as an individual. Trust yourself to know the difference between good and bad, between a strand of carnival beads and granny's pearls. Then don't lose sight of the fact that if you make a mistake and it all turns out wrong, this too shall pass."
