Thursday, June 4, 2009

Covert No More

My campaign for town select person is heating up.

The undercover write-in campaign for the position on the select board is no longer covert. I learned yesterday that they mailed post cards for their unofficial candidate to all republicans in town. And there was a letter to the editor in the local paper publicizing the existence of the write-in campaign.

I had hoped this could stay a nonpartisan campaign. The issue should be who will do the best job for the people of the town, not what party the candidate belongs to.

My friends and I don't have money to put into my campaign. We do have the ability to send emails and make phone calls. On Sunday and Monday a small group of us will make hundreds of phone calls to encourage people to vote for me, the only candidate on the ballot. We will also remind people of the yearly town meeting, where many of the issues important to the town will be discussed and decided. The meeting has been moved to the gym at the elementary school because a crowd is expected, which is a good thing. The more voices the better.

As much as I like to stay in the background, this turn of events has forced me out to meet people and to talk to people beyond a polite greeting. It feels good when people thank me for running for office, for being willing to take a position of leadership.

This experience has helped me realize I am covert no more, in this campaign or in my life. This push onto the public stage, albeit on a local scale, has peeled away my protective cover of anonymity in real life and caused me to consider my online persona as well.

I have thought long and hard about what I have written here in the last year. As I reread posts I was surprised at how honest I was about what was going on in my life. Then I surprised myself when I had the thought that someone could use my words for purposes not in my best interest. That had not occurred to me before. It has certainly been food for thought as I move forward.

6 comments:

CaShThoMa said...

I wish you the very best in this endeavor and am so pleased that you've put yourself out there. Kudos to you!

Joanne said...

The limelight certainly shines an interesting light though, doesn't it? Where, on one hand, you're more public, putting more of your self out in view, but on the other hand, having to monitor your online presence, maybe even hold back. So being more public actually means being more reserved, in a way! Regardless, best wishes for an overwhelming win!

Anonymous said...

Important thing to consider - the digi footprint.

Wishing you success. Perhaps politics is your calling.

Anonymous said...

This is all so exciting! But it is important to think about your internet stuff and that's why I am anonymous! In case I get into politics,lol!

Kitty said...

This is really kind of exciting. There's a lot of energy in your words about it. I applaud your willingness to follow where it's taking you (wherever that ends up being.)

Anonymous said...

You inspire me to take steps and try things that I wouldn't have in my younger years. I am cheering you on!

On another note, you also make good points about how much to share and how much to hold back. I'm learning this too. Our tell-all culture is in a "confessional mode" at this point in time -- and blogging and reality TV are offshoots of that. I am thinking the day will come when it will be cool to be quiet and mysterious again, and that people won't be as inclined to share as much with as many people?