I'm going to come out and say it:
It is absolutely shameful what is happening right now in Rockingham County politics.
Regardless of distance in its various measures, I have still been proud to be a son of Reidsville and the surrounding area. But what I'm seeing lately from afar is utterly heartbreaking.
Twenty years ago I was a candidate for public office in Rockingham County. I didn't win my race but it still became one of the greatest experiences of my life. My campaign was an honest, sincere, and upbeat one. It was FUN! When the results came in, there was no bitterness at all for not getting a seat on the school board. There had been too much enjoyment from coming to meet new people, hearing and talking about ideas, harnessing creativity to make signs and shirts and television ads. I didn't run against anyone per se. I merely ran as myself, being completely forthcoming with voters, and let the chips fall where they may.
Why can't it still be that simple?
I'm so damned sick and tired of people lusting for power and influence. All it does is show that they are the LEAST worthy people to have power at all.
Some are going to interpret this as being a commentary on the state senate race between incumbent Phil Berger and challenger Sam Page. But I'm not casting blame on anyone in particular. It's just become a wholesale disgusting situation that is embarrassing even those of us who are expatriates of Rockingham County. It has actually made the press here in the Upstate of South Carolina. I remember the county's district attorney race of 2006 and that was disgusting. What is happening now is far, far worse. It's going to go down in history as one of the most bitter races in North Carolina history. EVERYBODY needs to step back and refocus on pitching themselves to the voters, instead of trying to convince their would-be constituents why their opponents *shouldn't* be elected.
See? THIS is why I'm so effin' SICK AND TIRED of the two-party con job that's been worked on over this country. It's all about power and control and skimming off the top whenever the chance comes. The politics of the county has twisted and distorted real vision and principles. When I ran I had a rule: I would never go negative. EVER. I vowed that I would never do something that I would regret later down the road. There is nothing wrong with holding to that. Be the best candidate you can be and be content to let the voters decide. That's the way it's supposed to be. But the candidates have become so fixated on destroying each other, they've lost grasp of WHY they're supposed to be running in the first place. Why SHOULD any sane and rational person want to vote for anyone like THAT?!? I sure as hell wouldn't.
(Please pardon the profanity. I NEVER use that unless it's absolutely necessary to getting my point across, when polite language has failed.)
Come on Rockingham. Do better.
As an entertaining aside, I'll close with this. One of the candidates in 2006 started turning too negative for my tastes. This is the ad that I created in response to that. Not necessarily "against" him but I wanted there to be something happier/feel-good out there as a counterbalance. Of the three ads that I made, this is my most favorite...
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