It's May 30, referred to as Decoration Day in the years soon after the Sectional War, when people would go to cemeteries to decorate the graves of soldiers as a way of memorializing that devastating conflict of the 1860's. It eventually became our present-day celebration of Memorial Day.
There's a spirit of every holiday and occasion that is worth maintaining every other day of the year. Having Decoration Day May 30 fall the day after the Memorial Day observance of May 29 this year 2017 gives me reason to think about what to carry forth from Memorial Day.
The Memorial Day ceremony I attended at Abraham Lincoln National VA Cemetery near Elwood, IL, was so well done, and gave me much inspiration. As the MC expressed it as his hope, I left the ceremony changed. This was in large part because I heard personal stories from people who are part of the Lincoln Cemetery community and what they've gone through, especially a man who served in recent conflicts in the Middle East and is plagued by survivor's guilt day after day.
Then I think of the personal stories that are shared each year at the National Memorial Day Concert. War devastates those who are injured and those close to them, as well as those left behind when someone is killed while serving. These people live with the after effects of war every day, making every day Memorial Day for them.
It is clear that great sacrifices were made to preserve this country, some making the ultimate sacrifice. We truly need an occasion like Memorial Day to help keep us constantly aware of those who bear great wounds. And in the spirit of Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, we should be inspired by the example they set in their valiant service to be devoted to the work of making the United States a truly great country, by upholding our values and working for their full realization for all people, so that, under God, this country will truly experience freedom to the fullest, as God grants us freedom.
Committing ourselves to this work day after day is truly a fitting way to honor the great sacrifices we remember every year on Memorial Day.
Tuesday, May 30, 2017
Monday, May 29, 2017
JFK at 100: the Making of a Better World
Today marks 100 years since John Fitzgerald Kennedy was born on May 29, 1917.
When I was a child, I enjoyed reading picture book biographies of famous US Americans, often reading specific biographies multiple times. One of those was of John F. Kennedy.
From what I gleaned of his life story as a child, I saw him as a figure who established himself in a politically prominent family, which still exerts prominence today. After demonstrating great valiance in World War II, he was elected to Congress. He then ran for President, and presented himself a refreshing young figure for that office, not to mention his wife Jackie and their children who all enhanced his vibrant vibe--which seems fitting as the youngest person ever elected US president.
He strove greatly in the making of a better world, creating the Peace Corps, and taking a hard stance against Communism. Certainly many of his speeches illustrate his aim to inspire people, like his renowned Inaugural Address, and his speech calling on the US to get a person to the moon, and his stand for people oppressed by Communist governments in his speech in Berlin.
And all his great promise and potential was cut short when he was assassinated in Dallas, TX, in a place that was rather hostile to him. I recall seeing an image of an ad in a Texas newspaper that was a wanted ad for crimes against the Constitution, which included his image.
On the subject of books, I recently stumbled upon Mr. Kennedy's book, Profiles in Courage, at the library. It was interesting to see the range of people he covered from throughout US history. And to think it was something that came out of a time when he was hospitalized. He certainly overcame many physical ailments, especially in his childhood, to achieve a substantial measure of greatness.
While looking at the website of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, I found a great video, in which Caroline Kennedy and her three children reflect on John F. Kennedy. Caroline speaks about how her father inspired so many people to make a better world. His grandchildren speak about how he challenged people to do great work in pressing toward the future with greater equality for all and accomplishing great achievements, like the man on the moon.
Caroline mentioned in her remarks that in her father's inaugural address, he said that our work is never finished in our lifetime, so we have the responsibility to pass on our values to the next generation. On this occasion of the centennial of John F. Kennedy's birth, perhaps that's the greatest legacy he left: getting a great work started in the making of a better world.
When I was a child, I enjoyed reading picture book biographies of famous US Americans, often reading specific biographies multiple times. One of those was of John F. Kennedy.
From what I gleaned of his life story as a child, I saw him as a figure who established himself in a politically prominent family, which still exerts prominence today. After demonstrating great valiance in World War II, he was elected to Congress. He then ran for President, and presented himself a refreshing young figure for that office, not to mention his wife Jackie and their children who all enhanced his vibrant vibe--which seems fitting as the youngest person ever elected US president.
He strove greatly in the making of a better world, creating the Peace Corps, and taking a hard stance against Communism. Certainly many of his speeches illustrate his aim to inspire people, like his renowned Inaugural Address, and his speech calling on the US to get a person to the moon, and his stand for people oppressed by Communist governments in his speech in Berlin.
And all his great promise and potential was cut short when he was assassinated in Dallas, TX, in a place that was rather hostile to him. I recall seeing an image of an ad in a Texas newspaper that was a wanted ad for crimes against the Constitution, which included his image.
On the subject of books, I recently stumbled upon Mr. Kennedy's book, Profiles in Courage, at the library. It was interesting to see the range of people he covered from throughout US history. And to think it was something that came out of a time when he was hospitalized. He certainly overcame many physical ailments, especially in his childhood, to achieve a substantial measure of greatness.
While looking at the website of the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, I found a great video, in which Caroline Kennedy and her three children reflect on John F. Kennedy. Caroline speaks about how her father inspired so many people to make a better world. His grandchildren speak about how he challenged people to do great work in pressing toward the future with greater equality for all and accomplishing great achievements, like the man on the moon.
Caroline mentioned in her remarks that in her father's inaugural address, he said that our work is never finished in our lifetime, so we have the responsibility to pass on our values to the next generation. On this occasion of the centennial of John F. Kennedy's birth, perhaps that's the greatest legacy he left: getting a great work started in the making of a better world.
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
A Stoplight Decade
There are many people I consider to
be geniuses because of the unique way they do something. Martin Luther posts 95 Theses expressing
concern about the Roman Catholic Church, which launches the entire Protestant
Reformation movement.
There's also Thomas Edison, who has over a 1000 patents, many of which are for inventions that transformed society and are an integral part of our 21st-Century lifestyle.
Pope St. John XXIII is certainly a genius for deciding to convene a council that institute many significant reforms in the Roman Catholic Church that made it more accessible to lay people.
Pope St. John XXIII is certainly a genius for deciding to convene a council that institute many significant reforms in the Roman Catholic Church that made it more accessible to lay people.
And then there’s the person who one
decade ago, on May 23, 2007, added a whole new clever dimension to political
commentary when he first uttered the words, “I’m Stuart Shepard. This is
Stoplight.”
A former TV meteorologist, which he
mentions in some of his Stoplight videos, Stuart came to work for the political
action arm of Focus on the Family, then known as CitizenLink, now known as
Family Policy Alliance. In the decade
since, the Stoplight videos have offered witty, profound, and thought-provoking
sociopolitical commentary on the current state of issues in government and society in the United States.
I first became aware of Stoplight in
its first few months. The insights
Stuart shares in the videos resonated with me then because I felt like a loner with
my sociopolitical views against the prevailing consensus in Oak Park, especially among
my friends and classmates at school. It
was so refreshing to hear someone express opinions that closely aligned
with my own, and gave voice to them, in a similar way that going to ValpU was an opportunity to have an
expanded circle of like-minded friends.
Plus, the videos were really witty, and that grabbed my attention.
The insights in the videos still
resonate with me 10 years later. Throughout the past decade, there have been many Stoplight videos I
enjoy, and I certainly could create a laundry list showcasing my
favorites. To celebrate Stoplight's 10 years, I here present a list of
10 notable aspects of these Stoplight videos, with videos included, both embedded in the blog, as well as links to their YouTube versions, whichever you prefer to view.
1. From time to time, Stuart opens up this dictionary to define
what Democratic-minded individuals, especially the liberal mainstream media, really mean when they use certain phrases as a way of probing what is going through their minds, like "Makin' Stuff Up".
2. He does a fine job is his
commentary on the state of sexual education in this country. In “The Right Question”, in which Congresswoman Virginia Foxx poses a question at a
hearing about sexual education that exposes the true agenda of those who
promote comprehensive contraceptive-based sexual education over abstinence-based sexual
education.
I’ve come to really like that phrase “The Right Question”, as a way to refer to someone who asks the question that pierces into the heart of the matter--just like many of his videos masterfully pierce into the heart of the matter at hand that he discusses. Furthermore, the very first Stoplight video, "Defending Abstinence" on May 23, 2007, addressed the lunacy of some who oppose abstinence-based sexual education.
I’ve come to really like that phrase “The Right Question”, as a way to refer to someone who asks the question that pierces into the heart of the matter--just like many of his videos masterfully pierce into the heart of the matter at hand that he discusses. Furthermore, the very first Stoplight video, "Defending Abstinence" on May 23, 2007, addressed the lunacy of some who oppose abstinence-based sexual education.
3. Stuart takes a strong stand in
defense of Christmas as a holiday to recognize the birth of Jesus Christ, and
is critical of those who want to water it down and secularize it. He took such a stand so brilliantly with the Merry Tossmas
videos in 2007 (first video below) and 2008 (second video below).
I was so inspired by them that during my senior year of high school, I did an act at a December event for my youth group based on them. It was an act that apparently really resonated with others there. There’s also the “Searching for Christmas” video, that so wonderfully speaks to the meaning of the Nativity occasion in the midst of efforts to secularize it.
I was so inspired by them that during my senior year of high school, I did an act at a December event for my youth group based on them. It was an act that apparently really resonated with others there. There’s also the “Searching for Christmas” video, that so wonderfully speaks to the meaning of the Nativity occasion in the midst of efforts to secularize it.
4. There’s so much alarmism surrounding anthropogenically-driven climate change. It’s so refreshing to someone like Stuart offer some critical commentary on the rhetoric of alarmists, as a means to help us focus on what's really at stake and do what’s right for the planet and its people. A good example is the video "Global Questioning".
5. Stuart very insightfully critiques
government and the economy. One of the
early examples was "Pay(attention to the)Check", commenting on the Economic Stimulus Act, which gave money from taxes back to taxpayers as a way to help improve the economy.
Then, in the early days of the Obama adminstration came the videos "Spending Wisely" (see first video below) and “Too Intellectual” (see second video below), when President Obama insisted on having a budget focused on the most important priorities and broad economic growth while pushing for major government spending to stimulate the economy.
And then there’s the video "Lemonade Stands", which delightfully illustrates, using lemonade stands, how government intervention stifles innovation, which stifles the economy.
Then, in the early days of the Obama adminstration came the videos "Spending Wisely" (see first video below) and “Too Intellectual” (see second video below), when President Obama insisted on having a budget focused on the most important priorities and broad economic growth while pushing for major government spending to stimulate the economy.
And then there’s the video "Lemonade Stands", which delightfully illustrates, using lemonade stands, how government intervention stifles innovation, which stifles the economy.
6. With great wit, Stuart critiques the
liberal mainstream media, like in the video showing how the mainstream media
“jumped the shark” at the 2008 Republican National Convention.
7. Stuart is so witty and
clever in his analogies. Take, for example, the video "Wedges and Hedges" critiquing comments Barack Obama made.
In "Show Me the Donuts", he uses donuts as a way to critique how the mainstream media talks about candidates, but not about their stances on issues.
In "Show Me the Donuts", he uses donuts as a way to critique how the mainstream media talks about candidates, but not about their stances on issues.
8. Some of his videos are a way to
engage political involvement. For
example, in "Dear Mr. Trump", he discusses an open letter to Donald Trump, shortly after Mr. Trump
had secured enough primary votes to be the 2016 Republican nominee for
president. The letter asks Mr. Trump to
explain his stance on various issues important to confessional Christian
voters.
9. He also addresses issues related to family and the sanctity of life. In "H2&O2&H2O", he uses an analogy of water and its chemical components to address the issue of redefining marriage.
In "48,000,000", he offers a sobering commentary on abortion, based on a number that is now even higher.
10. In some of the best, and most
profound videos, Stuart helps us remember our American values. He talks about the activism of the Pilgrims in "Before They Were Pilgrims".
In "O Canada", he discusses the words of the fourth verse of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, in light of the French version of the Canadian national anthem.
And then there’s “O Beautiful”, a video that, from the inspiring backdrop of Pike’s Peak, encourages us to stand up for these values.
In "O Canada", he discusses the words of the fourth verse of “The Star-Spangled Banner”, in light of the French version of the Canadian national anthem.
And then there’s “O Beautiful”, a video that, from the inspiring backdrop of Pike’s Peak, encourages us to stand up for these values.
Stuart expounds on all these ideas and more in a plethora of other great videos. With the above sampling I've presented, I offer a toast to Stoplight on
its 10 years, and look forward to more wonderful videos to come to add to the
conversation on today’s sociopolitical issues with an eye toward upholding life, faith, and freedom.
Friday, May 19, 2017
Post-College: Four Years
It was the event that inspired the launch of this blog, and
so I remember the day of my graduation from Valparaiso University this
day. I am drawn to recall my graduation
on this fourth anniversary for a couple of particular reasons: Upon my graduation back in 2013, a new group
of freshmen came to the school to take the place of my fellow graduates and
me that August. Now, four years later, they are
becoming the newest batch of ValpU alumni.
So they and I have made it through a whole cycle of a typical class’s time there.
I’m also thinking about how the experience has lived on in
my life, especially as I’ve continued the relationship with some of my very
good friends from those days on the fields of Valparaiso. In fact, I am publishing this post while onboard Amtrak Cascades train #501, headed south from
Seattle, WA, to Oregon to spend the weekend with my friend Roy, where he moved
towards the end of his time in graduate school. I crossed a wide swath of the United States on a 46-hour train journey to visit Roy, in
addition to spending some time in Seattle and Vancouver, British Columbia—which
I will write about more extensively in a future blog post.
As I became quickly aware, I went to college for a
bachelor’s degree, but got out of it so much more, especially in relationships,
which have enriched my life, the kind in which I could open up deeply about
myself and who I am, so as to increase my awareness of myself.
And, of course, the impact of my spiritual growth during my
ValpU days lives on. I just completed
my 4th year of teaching Religious Education—notably, something I’ve
done every year since graduating from ValpU.
The renewed zeal for faith I experienced at ValpU, especially through my
involvement at St. Teresa’s, is something I’ve channeled through teaching
RE. In fact, I’ve even shared some
aspects of my faith experiences with my students that I encountered while at
St. Teresa’s, most notably Father Kevin’s “Party Hard with Jesus Christ”
routine. I used this routine as a way
to illustrate that faith is something to celebrate. Nor is it something we invent or obtain for
ourselves: It is something handed on to
us, and we then, in turn, hand it on to others. To this end, I showed my students a picture of Father Kevin, to
give them a visual. In one of my
classes, as soon as I did so, a student piped up, saying she recognized Father
Kevin from her grandmother’s church. As
it turns out, her family as a connection to St. Teresa’s.
Tuesday, May 9, 2017
Being Localized
A new era is starting for the local governing bodies in Oak Park as new terms are starting on the various governing boards, with a number of new individuals joining.
It was a process that got started not that long after the presidential election campaign season concluded, with petition filing, with the campaign season following in short order. I think of local politics as an interesting kind of creature, as the focus of the hot button issues zooms in on issues like business development, efficient operations of the schools, and community's quality of life.
The big take-away I got from my time serving as an election judge back in November was that even elections for the federal government offices all comes down to people coming out to vote at their local polling places. As such, politics has a strong local component. Furthermore, local elections have a larger impact on a municipality, because the municipal officials are so close to the people they serve, and the decisions they make have a more focused impact on a community.
Municipal elections have special meaning for me, because the first election I ever voted in shortly after turning 18 was for local races. I still remember how excited I was to vote, and the election judge at the Oak Park Conservatory polling place noted the "gusto" I displayed as I entered.
Ever since then, I've made it my business to attend forums during the local election campaign season, engaging in the discussions about how to maintain a good quality of life in the community. I enjoy meeting the candidates and conversing with them about our community, and that was certainly the case during the campaign season, as I attended forums at Irving School hosted by SEOPCO and at the Buzz Cafe, hosted by co-owner Laura Maychruk. The hosts did a wonderful job with these forums.
In addition to offices up for election, the ballot on April 4 in Oak Park included two referenda for District 97 that would increase property tax values significantly, which the district said were needed to gain sufficient funds for operating expenses and work that needed to be done on buildings. There was clearly a lot at stake, and it became the talk of the town. The campaign even included a rally at Scoville Park, leading into a march along Lake Street headed into downtown Oak Park. Pretty much everyone realized that passing the referenda would be an onus regarding property tax amounts, and some were adamant that such pain needed to be stomached. Later on in March, however, some people vocally sought to make the case that District 97 didn't need the extra money to avoid a doomsday scenario of cuts to non-core classes and arts programs, and overcrowded, lower-quality facilities. Someone even created a webpage detailing how District 97 administration's case didn't measure up completely--which made me think of "fake news": It was hard to say if this person really had a legitimate counter-argument, or if this person was trying to steer people away from the factual reality.
It all came down to the voters speaking their minds at the voting booth. I decided that the circumstances were just right, and so I brought it full circle by signing up to be an election judge once again. I was especially interested in seeing what it would be like to run the polling place during a municipal election, which tend to have lower voter turnout than the presidential election. So I went in ready to see if the presidential election set a high bar in comparison to the municipal elections.
I was assigned to the 16th precinct's polling station at the Maze Branch of the Oak Park Public Library once again. I was in a smaller team for the 16th precinct than the November 2016 presidential election, but everyone on the team this time around had been there in November. We were also in the same room with the 3rd precinct, and the people on their team this time had all been there back in November. We did set-up on the Sunday before, and made a few changes to the layout of the equipment that we had back in November in the hope that there would be more efficient traffic flow.
Then, once again, Election Day came and started early for me, when my alarm sounded at 4 AM. By 5 AM, I was over at Maze to get everything set up and ready for voters at 6 AM. There wasn't nearly as long of a line at opening time as back in November, but there were a few people waiting to go in right at 6 AM. I started out at the station handing out the paper ballots and the "I Voted" stickers for a couple of hours, and then moved to one of the check-in stations, where I stayed until closing time. This time around, we had just two e-pollbook computers for checking in voters, and unlike last time, I had an ID scanner, so I could give voters the option to present a driver's license, which I could place on the scanner to more automatically check in voters.
There were never long lines at any point during the day, but we had a steady trickle of people all day long. Pretty much at every moment we were open for voting, there was at least one voter present, whether for the 3rd or the 16th precinct. We did get some longer lines in the after-work hours, between 4-7 PM, the reverse of November when the longer lines were in the before-work hours--and I'm fairly certain the lines this time around in April were not as long as back in November, though my vantage point at the check-in table was different, and so I couldn't see outside the room as well.
I did step out from time to time, to keep an eye on activity outside, including candidates handing out literature, and even one of my neighbors distributing literature to support the District 97 referenda.
Among the voters who came, I saw many people who live in the neighborhood, and many fellow Ascension Parishioners, including some parents of my Religious Education students. I had seen many of these same people back in November. Like last time, it was so wonderful serving these people at the polling place. It was also wonderful seeing voters bring children with them to the polling place. And in the after-school hours, it was also great seeing high school-aged voters come by.
A real highlight for both of our teams that day came in the morning: A woman entered, carrying an official-looking envelope bearing the words "US Citizenship and Immigration Services". She said she had been naturalized a citizen the day before, and was coming to register and vote for the very first time as a US citizen. And she came ready with all her paperwork, including her naturalization certificate, which was in the envelope. Excitedly, the 3rd precinct team got her registered, and after she completed her ballot, we cheered for her.
Later, around midday, a high school-aged gal approached me, and as I checked her in, I realized that she had just turned 18 within the past month, and so this was her first time voting. After I got her checked in, I congratulated her with a handshake.
Further along in the afternoon, a woman approached us and asked if her daughter, who had recently turned 18, could still register to vote, and asked if that could still happen. Since Illinois law was recently changed to allow for election day registration, we told her that she could have her daughter come by later with her paperwork, and we would register her.
Sure enough, in the after-school hours, that woman returned with her daughter, who was ready with her stack of paperwork and approached me for check-in, and I had the honor of registering the daughter to vote. This is the kind of thing we practice at training, but don't necessarily do all that much, and made for something especially exciting that day in the flow of usual voter check-ins. Like before, I exchanged a congratulatory handshake with her after I completed her registration.
Not too long later, the day of voting came to a conclusion when I stepped outside at 7 PM and announced the closing of the polls. Pretty much the only people around were candidates handing out their literature, and with my announcement, they knew their work of campaigning was done, and so dispersed.
We finished with the last voters, and then tended to the votes and got all the equipment packed up, finishing about 8:30, much earlier than in November, and encountered no major problems. I lingered for a while enjoying conversation with my team members before they headed to the receiving station at Brooks Middle School.
With that, I was done with another exhausting, but definitely exhilarating day. It was totally worthwhile to serve as an election judge, a great opportunity to participate in the process of government that happens at the local level, this time focusing in on local races and referenda. And it was so inspiring to see new voters cast their ballots for the first time. As a natural-born citizen, I know I'm unable to fully comprehend the excitement that comes when someone, after a long process, is finally naturalized, but it's great to feel the sense of excitement by being in the presence of a naturalized citizen. And seeing the 18-year-olds come vote was inspiring, too, because it took me back to the time when I first voted and took that step to engage more fully in the process of government. In that light, it was exciting for me to be there to facilitate the first time voters, especially the gal I registered. Seeing people experience something new is so amazing, and renews me in what it means to actively participate as a citizen. And it's something I will strive to continue to do as the newly elected officials take their seats, while we together, as a community, work to make this village a good place for all people who live here.
It was a process that got started not that long after the presidential election campaign season concluded, with petition filing, with the campaign season following in short order. I think of local politics as an interesting kind of creature, as the focus of the hot button issues zooms in on issues like business development, efficient operations of the schools, and community's quality of life.
The big take-away I got from my time serving as an election judge back in November was that even elections for the federal government offices all comes down to people coming out to vote at their local polling places. As such, politics has a strong local component. Furthermore, local elections have a larger impact on a municipality, because the municipal officials are so close to the people they serve, and the decisions they make have a more focused impact on a community.
Municipal elections have special meaning for me, because the first election I ever voted in shortly after turning 18 was for local races. I still remember how excited I was to vote, and the election judge at the Oak Park Conservatory polling place noted the "gusto" I displayed as I entered.
Ever since then, I've made it my business to attend forums during the local election campaign season, engaging in the discussions about how to maintain a good quality of life in the community. I enjoy meeting the candidates and conversing with them about our community, and that was certainly the case during the campaign season, as I attended forums at Irving School hosted by SEOPCO and at the Buzz Cafe, hosted by co-owner Laura Maychruk. The hosts did a wonderful job with these forums.
In addition to offices up for election, the ballot on April 4 in Oak Park included two referenda for District 97 that would increase property tax values significantly, which the district said were needed to gain sufficient funds for operating expenses and work that needed to be done on buildings. There was clearly a lot at stake, and it became the talk of the town. The campaign even included a rally at Scoville Park, leading into a march along Lake Street headed into downtown Oak Park. Pretty much everyone realized that passing the referenda would be an onus regarding property tax amounts, and some were adamant that such pain needed to be stomached. Later on in March, however, some people vocally sought to make the case that District 97 didn't need the extra money to avoid a doomsday scenario of cuts to non-core classes and arts programs, and overcrowded, lower-quality facilities. Someone even created a webpage detailing how District 97 administration's case didn't measure up completely--which made me think of "fake news": It was hard to say if this person really had a legitimate counter-argument, or if this person was trying to steer people away from the factual reality.
It all came down to the voters speaking their minds at the voting booth. I decided that the circumstances were just right, and so I brought it full circle by signing up to be an election judge once again. I was especially interested in seeing what it would be like to run the polling place during a municipal election, which tend to have lower voter turnout than the presidential election. So I went in ready to see if the presidential election set a high bar in comparison to the municipal elections.
I was assigned to the 16th precinct's polling station at the Maze Branch of the Oak Park Public Library once again. I was in a smaller team for the 16th precinct than the November 2016 presidential election, but everyone on the team this time around had been there in November. We were also in the same room with the 3rd precinct, and the people on their team this time had all been there back in November. We did set-up on the Sunday before, and made a few changes to the layout of the equipment that we had back in November in the hope that there would be more efficient traffic flow.
Then, once again, Election Day came and started early for me, when my alarm sounded at 4 AM. By 5 AM, I was over at Maze to get everything set up and ready for voters at 6 AM. There wasn't nearly as long of a line at opening time as back in November, but there were a few people waiting to go in right at 6 AM. I started out at the station handing out the paper ballots and the "I Voted" stickers for a couple of hours, and then moved to one of the check-in stations, where I stayed until closing time. This time around, we had just two e-pollbook computers for checking in voters, and unlike last time, I had an ID scanner, so I could give voters the option to present a driver's license, which I could place on the scanner to more automatically check in voters.
There were never long lines at any point during the day, but we had a steady trickle of people all day long. Pretty much at every moment we were open for voting, there was at least one voter present, whether for the 3rd or the 16th precinct. We did get some longer lines in the after-work hours, between 4-7 PM, the reverse of November when the longer lines were in the before-work hours--and I'm fairly certain the lines this time around in April were not as long as back in November, though my vantage point at the check-in table was different, and so I couldn't see outside the room as well.
I did step out from time to time, to keep an eye on activity outside, including candidates handing out literature, and even one of my neighbors distributing literature to support the District 97 referenda.
Among the voters who came, I saw many people who live in the neighborhood, and many fellow Ascension Parishioners, including some parents of my Religious Education students. I had seen many of these same people back in November. Like last time, it was so wonderful serving these people at the polling place. It was also wonderful seeing voters bring children with them to the polling place. And in the after-school hours, it was also great seeing high school-aged voters come by.
A real highlight for both of our teams that day came in the morning: A woman entered, carrying an official-looking envelope bearing the words "US Citizenship and Immigration Services". She said she had been naturalized a citizen the day before, and was coming to register and vote for the very first time as a US citizen. And she came ready with all her paperwork, including her naturalization certificate, which was in the envelope. Excitedly, the 3rd precinct team got her registered, and after she completed her ballot, we cheered for her.
Later, around midday, a high school-aged gal approached me, and as I checked her in, I realized that she had just turned 18 within the past month, and so this was her first time voting. After I got her checked in, I congratulated her with a handshake.
Further along in the afternoon, a woman approached us and asked if her daughter, who had recently turned 18, could still register to vote, and asked if that could still happen. Since Illinois law was recently changed to allow for election day registration, we told her that she could have her daughter come by later with her paperwork, and we would register her.
Sure enough, in the after-school hours, that woman returned with her daughter, who was ready with her stack of paperwork and approached me for check-in, and I had the honor of registering the daughter to vote. This is the kind of thing we practice at training, but don't necessarily do all that much, and made for something especially exciting that day in the flow of usual voter check-ins. Like before, I exchanged a congratulatory handshake with her after I completed her registration.
Not too long later, the day of voting came to a conclusion when I stepped outside at 7 PM and announced the closing of the polls. Pretty much the only people around were candidates handing out their literature, and with my announcement, they knew their work of campaigning was done, and so dispersed.
We finished with the last voters, and then tended to the votes and got all the equipment packed up, finishing about 8:30, much earlier than in November, and encountered no major problems. I lingered for a while enjoying conversation with my team members before they headed to the receiving station at Brooks Middle School.
With that, I was done with another exhausting, but definitely exhilarating day. It was totally worthwhile to serve as an election judge, a great opportunity to participate in the process of government that happens at the local level, this time focusing in on local races and referenda. And it was so inspiring to see new voters cast their ballots for the first time. As a natural-born citizen, I know I'm unable to fully comprehend the excitement that comes when someone, after a long process, is finally naturalized, but it's great to feel the sense of excitement by being in the presence of a naturalized citizen. And seeing the 18-year-olds come vote was inspiring, too, because it took me back to the time when I first voted and took that step to engage more fully in the process of government. In that light, it was exciting for me to be there to facilitate the first time voters, especially the gal I registered. Seeing people experience something new is so amazing, and renews me in what it means to actively participate as a citizen. And it's something I will strive to continue to do as the newly elected officials take their seats, while we together, as a community, work to make this village a good place for all people who live here.
Monday, May 8, 2017
One Year Later: Lemon and Lifelong Learning
A year ago, I officially concluded my graduate school
studies in the pomp and splendor befitting a graduation ceremony, as together with a throng of students donning caps, gowns, and lemon colored master's hoods made our way across a stage,
shook hands, and then got 4 letters tacked on after our names, that of MLIS, Master's of Library and Information Science.
As we processed out of the ceremony venue, while walking through
a hallway off to the side, a student volunteer
cheered for us as he remarked no more school for us. As a newly-degreed MLIS person, I just had to turn around and say
that our learning continues.
Indeed, one of the core values of librarianship as defined by the American Library Association is education and lifelong
learning. It’s clear that there’s so
much to learn outside of formal school classes, and I have definitely had much
to learn over the course of the past year.
For one, I’ve learned my engaging in library work. I’ve assisted with various projects that adjust the organization of the collections at the Oak Park Public Library. I’ve spent time with the bibliographic team helped them delete and pack up
old materials and check new orders for accuracy, learning some of the
particular procedures behind these acts.
And I’ve continued to engage with the community by assisting patrons who
approach me for help, taking stock of what they seek when they come to the
library, and reinforcing my knowledge about our offerings. One other fun thing I’ve done
is participate in community outreach events with the library’s book bike. Engaging in the work of librarianship has
helped me learn how libraries impact their communities, and has given me the
chance to think about my professional capabilities as I have sought broader
opportunities. Some of these I've encountered at professional events, like the SLA conference in Philadelphia last summer.
Furthermore, traveling has broadened my perspectives. Planning these trips, and going
to places like Philadelphia, Colorado, and Florida has given me the great
opportunity to experience new locations and get new insights on the
world. I’ve even learned much from
ambling around in Chicagoland doing things. Even my work as an election judge has helped me see a different side of the process of government, and in it, I have learned much. And certainly librarians are people who seek after new perspectives to enhance the work that they do.
One of the opportunities of this past year I have delighted in most
has been teaching RE for another year.
There are so many parallels between teaching RE and being a librarian
professional, especially in that in both roles, I am helping other people
encounter information and put it to good use.
It’s been extraordinary sharing my faith with the young people in my
charge and helping them grow in it, especially as many of them experienced the
sacrament of Confirmation. I was in a
pivotal roel of getting them ready for this sacrament, and then continuing to
support them and extending their formation through our classes in the weeks afterwards.
Helping others grow in faith has deepened my understanding
of faith, because I am putting into action, and so I thus learn
more deeply about its impact. And
ultimately, faith is meant to be like the ripples of a wave, spreading outward,
and as it does so, it bounces off other things in the water, creating more waves and
ripples. Indeed, as these young people grow in faith
in Christ and are transformed, they are in a position to impact
the world for the glory of God.
At the conclusion of the RE year, we had a closing Mass, and included among the proceedings was an opportunity to offer some remarks about the students, reflecting on the year, and encouraging them for the future. I sought
to inspire them in my speech to keep learning, guided into Truth by the Holy Spirit, Who is God living inside of them, as Jesus discusses in His Last Supper discourse in the Gospel of St. John. And then I talked about putting faith into action, to impact the world, as a sign of
the transformation Christ has brought us through the Paschal Mystery.
There's this idea that says the best way to learn something is to teach it. At first, it seems paradoxical, because how can one teach something without being taught and told first. Yet in my experience, my learning has come full circle as I’ve put my knowledge into action through teaching, the act of passing it on, and watched God's marvelous work come alive, among the many new things I've experienced throughout this past year.
It's putting me into a good frame of mind to keep learning through experiencing new things, just like now as I spend time with family for a few days this week in North Myrtle Beach, SC, celebrating my Abuela's 80 year of life, even as my journey here, much of it onboard Amtrak, has allowed me encounters with new things.
Indeed, my learning will continue in marvelous, delightful ways, as I open myself to new possibilities.
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