Eating My Words

Over the course of the past year, many people have said things to me like:

“When are you running for office?”

“You’re a politician, deep down, you are, and you’re [damned] good.”

And my answers have been:

“Never.”

“Why in HADES would you care to insult me in such a way as that?”

In other words – I didn’t think I was interested in that.

But these wheels in my head, they keep on turning.

I am a networker. My friend DSW recently said, “Hammy, you’re the only person I know who truly has this six-degrees of separation thing going for her. I mean, if someone has a question, you have an ‘Oh, I know somebody…Go talk to…’ for them to get an answer with.” And she’s right. Case in point, this weekend we went to the CU-CSU Rocky Mountain Showdown wherein a middle-aged couple in Rams fan gear sat next to us with their tween-ish son. She glanced at Charlie Brown, who was wearing a CU hat, but the Rams’ green and gold for his shirt – like the rest of Casa del Meyer, and asked me, “So, what’s up with your hubby – ‘d He go to CU? I told her no, but that he’d grown up watching the Buffs as a kid, then I went and ruined it by becoming a CSU alum. And, to make matters more complicated, I was going to CU-Denver for a Master’s degree. As she wrinkled her nose in disgust at my disloyalty to our alma mater, I went for the defense, “CU’s the only school in the state that offers an MPA.” She lit up – “What do you want to do with that?” I told her that I worked for the City of Loveland, that I figured it would help me in my career there dealing with NPO’s and government interrelationships, but mostly I wanted something that would lend me more credibility as I worked for social justice. She told me she worked for the City of Longmont, and asked if I knew X, Y, and Z person from Public Works in Loveland. I told her I knew the names, but I didn’t really work with PW so much as I did with Planning/Zoning, Clerks, etc. I explained the office that I work with – she asked if I knew the Longmont CDBG Administrator – and I do. So, yes, out of 70,000 people in that stadium, I randomly had a connection with the stranger who sat next to me. I’ve got connections, lol.

I am vocal. Duh!

I am smart, and politically savvy enough to see both the big picture at the same time as the here and now.

I want to serve others – especially the underdogs of our society.

Mostly, though…

I am an actionary person. I don’t want to just be visionary, but to act in order to bring the vision to life.

And here is where I’m eating my words, because…

Yesterday, at the Suicide Intervention and Prevention Plan Update meeting, I proposed some legislative actions be explored. And, because there were a bazillion brilliant ideas, and some very, very true, but mostly not very realistic, and I did not want my ideas that are practical and actually feasible to get lost in the shuffle, I e-mailed Colorado State House Representative Randy Fischer today, thanking him for his presence yesterday, and reminding him of my ideas. I also bcc’d the Executive Directors of Suicide Resource Center for Larimer County and Suicide Prevention Coalition of Colorado. Then, I e-mailed my Democracy and the Policy Process prof, whose expertise is in health legislation, along with my advisor – who is a policy expert – and his wife (also an SPA professor) the following:

Hi Dr. X,

Yesterday I attended the first of 4 (or 5?) regional forums re: the CO Suicide Prevention and Intervention Plan update - which is due to be published sometime next year.

As I got to thinking about some potential items for legislation that could increase suicide prevention/intervention, I wondered if you had any experience with mental health legislation, or if it was more along the lines of physical health and/or healthcare?

I had a couple of ideas that I think could actually go somewhere, and effect positive change for the Colorado public. State House Representative Randy Fischer was at this meeting, and heard me briefly explain these ideas. If this is of interest to you, please let me know and I'd be happy to share. Likewise, if you have background re: legislation that might have helped or incented employers to offer particular healthcare plans, I would be very interested in discussing that with you.

Respectfully,

HAM

And so, I’m eating my words, because that looks like political activity, no? And knowing me…I won’t be content unless this activity progresses…

I’m at a dilemma with that little insight, too. Because it means going more public with some of my more personal values. And it means that I might get flack from Christians who tend to disagree with the conclusions I’m drawing re: political issues.