If you follow me on Twitter or Facebook, you may have noticed an uptick in my political expression of opinion. I'm not going to apologize for it so if you don't like it, please unfollow, block, or unfriend me. I won't be mad.
I'm still fun. I still like to read, watch movies, and make jokes. I still enjoy snowshoeing, cycling, orienteering, paddling, and petting other people's critters. What changed?
I moved to a red state, Ohio. I spend a lot of my time writing and calling my reps. What's different is that none of them seem to listen. Huge change from living in NY and PA. Even though in the past I may have disagreed, those folks in NY and PA would at least acknowledge there is a difference of opinion and thanked my for expressing my opinion. In Ohio, with the exception of Sherrod Brown I get crickets.
Politics and religion used to be topics that I didn't address out loud. I would vote, I would contact my reps, but I wouldn't encourage others to do the same. That was the problem. I was engaged, but I didn't bring anyone else along for the ride. And now of course we're all inundated with political chatter and it seems like overload, but please trust me, staying informed is the only way we're going to survive. I don't post my political opinion on social media to change your mind. I do it because it is normal to have an opinion. It is normal to express your opinion. Political opinions are no different from opinions on sports, television, or anything else.
Look, I still enjoy a good laugh with good people. But I won't stop amplifying the voices of people that need to be heard even if it seems that I've stopped having fun. I'm still coaching volleyball and I'm still having fun.
