The Political Mom

The soothing voices of C-SPAN drone in the background as I sit in front of my computer. "If you can't be a highway, just be a trail," pops out at me, and I realize I'm watching the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Groundbreaking. It reminds me why I care enough to share my political views.

Political expression is not encouraged in the United States. In fact, it's downright discouraged. Expressing your political views at the office is considered career suicide, unless maybe you are a political pundit or a politician and even then it can get you into trouble. For years I kept my political mouth shut in public. Who doesn't like having a paycheck and a place to live?

Finally, my conscience broke through and I got politically involved again, campaigning for candidates, leading meet-ups and blogging. Politics is not pretty. It's an ugly process. If report cards were given, many of the people involved, perhaps most, would receive marks like, "Does Not Play Well With Others," "Talks Too Much," and "Does Not Pay Attention." Nonetheless, it's the best way we have to shape our collective future. It's not always fun, and it's not always rewarding, but I just can't get over the fact that it's just too important to let go, especially now that I am a mom.