Recently, Juli and I moved into a housing development governed
by a homeowners association. I was rather incensed at first, that
someone would dare tell me what I could or could not do with my
property. "A family's home is their castle." Yet Juli
and I couldn't move into the house of our dreams unless we signed
the home owner's association agreement. So, grudgingly on my part,
we signed on the line. We agreed to have a local governing body
rule over some aspects of our lives.
I see a reflection on a larger scale. The election year is well
under way and we are seeing a plethora of advertising, campaign
promises and mud slinging from candidates who either want to dip
into our pockets or dip into our minds. Once again we look over
the evils to decide who will have the least impact on us. I hear
grumbles from both sides and complaints about "those people"
and how out-of-touch they are.
Well, who are they? Who are the individuals who step into government
roles? Are they from some other species called "they",
somehow separate from us? The truth is, there isn't much difference
between us and them. In fact, "they" are us.
A lot of us, and I'm one of the guilty, don't participate in politics
other then casting our vote every so often. Some of us don't even
do that. Most of us don't have time for politics, or even the
heart for it. Politics is an adversarial occupation, born in contention
and carried out in compromise. We would rather live our lives
in peace and be free to choose our own destinies, without interference
or interfering.
Yet we need the government. The nature of humanity is diversity.
It's what gives us the multitude of ideas, growth and innovation...
it's our strength. On the other hand with diversity comes conflict.
Our way of life may intrude on our neighbor's or theirs on us.
Sometimes it's impossible to reach a resolution on an individual
level. That's where a government steps in.
What people don't realize is that we shape the government. We
are constantly changing it. Because people, society and technology
changes over the years, the government needs to change to meet
the need.
With the constant change there are lapses and the government goes
too far or gets absurd. Through our participation, if only in
the act of voting, we pull it back to some degree of sanity. And
if we truly are concerned then we should take time to let them
know what we want or how we feel.
Which brings me back to the home owner's association. This Saturday
will be the first opportunity that Juli and I have to attend an
association meeting. At the meeting, members of the association
will be deciding on rules and regulations of the neighborhood;
absurd things like a two and a half inch maximum grass rule, or
a cat leash law. I decided before I moved in, that if there are
going to be rules and regulations placed upon me, then I am certainly
going to be part of the process that controlles the rules and
regulations. I, as the independent bastard that I am, will want
to have the least interference as possible in my life. If that
means I have to be one of "those people" in the association,
then so be it.
