I believe that politics tends to bring out the absolute
worst in people, and as my friends know, I really dislike the entire long,
drawn-out political process with all the hateful ads and endless, pointless debates.
I didn’t always detest politics. In fact, when George
McGovern ran for president, I was pretty active and vocal in my school’s
election activities the way only a 12 year old who is trying to become her own
person can be. I had gotten a POW/MIA bracelet*, and was fervently anti-war so I supported McGovern 100%. I don’t remember who my parents supported in that election, but
my younger brother was an avid Nixon supporter as were most of the kids at his
school and mine (just like their parents, I guess).
That year I attended a junior high school kind of known for
violence. We had a lot of race-based fights, enough so that forks and knives had
been removed from the school cafeteria so we could only eat with spoons. I saw girls wearing the giant
hoop earrings so popular then, the kind that touched your shoulders have those same earrings torn out of their ears
during fights. That's one of the reasons I’ve never worn big earrings.
We also had a lot of bomb threats, one or two a month most
months. I’m pretty sure those were tied to test days, but the police department
and the school had to take them seriously. Clearing the school would always
take about an hour so we’d stand outside in the heat or cold and just wait.
The bus ride to and from school was similarly challenging.
The bad kids, the ones I feared, always sat in the back of the bus. They’d yell
or throw things and generally just act intimidating toward the rest of us, so I
made sure I got to the bus line early so I could sit up front.
One day during the election season, I was late boarding the
bus and had to sit in the back, smack in the middle of those boys. I kept my
head down and hoped they would ignore me, but that wasn’t the case. They
started saying mean things about me, about me supporting McGovern, and calling
me names. Then they started spitting on me. Yes, spitting on me. The bus driver
either didn’t notice or didn’t care and so I sat, getting spit upon for that
endless ride home.
I managed to hold in my tears until I got home. I ran in the
front door dropping my coat and books as I headed for the bathroom to wash my hair.
I remember telling my brother that this was how people who believed the way he
did behaved. I don’t remember anything else ever happening as a result of that
ride.
That incident didn’t dissuade me from voting. In fact, I’ve
voted in every election I’ve been eligible to vote in ever since. But I remain
very private about my political beliefs and wish others would too. If you start ranting about your beliefs, I’m
likely to just walk away, and I will most definitely ignore everything you're saying.
*As an aside, my POW was an Air Force officer and I got to see his return on TV. I lost the bracelet when my house was burglarized so I no longer have it, and don't remember his name.
