For the post today I could go into Clinton's presidency, taking a look at the scandals and policies that defined him as a president. However, history and political science has never been my strong suite and any attempt to boil 8 years down into a logical concise look at him would be a disservice to all involved. So instead I thought I would write about what I recall from the 96 election. Granted it's not much, I was in second grade when it happened, but I think what I remember is fairly telling. Well probably more telling about me than anything else, but I'm rolling with it.
I don't really recall my parents discussing the election, though that's not terribly surprising considering I was eight at the time. I feel like politics became more of a discussion around us when we got old enough to actually start forming opinions but never to the point where they were clearly trying to influence us. What I do remember from the 96 election was the fact that I had to go with my dad to his polling place that day. I'm pretty sure he ended up dragging me along before taking me to school and driving to work himself, but that is up for debate. I can't recall what exactly I did while he voted but I'm pretty sure I showed some sign of interest in what he was doing since I was given a sample ballot to take to school with me. On the way back to the car I asked my dad who he voted for and he wouldn't tell me because voting was a private matter. The rest is rather foggy, I took the ballot to school and I'm pretty certain that we did do a short discussion of the election and voting. And even though the two main candidates were Dole and Clinton, the name that stuck with me was Perot. Like I said before politics has never been a big element to my life. I have plenty of friends who are far more informed about these things than I have ever been, who would give a far more enthralling post about this. But for me I think it shows the big elements that defined my thought processes on politics. That being interested in politics is a good thing, but it should never be a defining element to who you are. I know my parents care about politics but I also know that they have never let it be a characteristic that their children would use to describe them. That when it comes down to it, your political opinion is ultimately a private matter.
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Maggie Ondrey
An amateur photographer and writer capturing a small portion of the city. Archives
August 2017
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