By Margie Doyle
The League of Women Voters always sounded to me a little like the old “Mothers Club” that schools used to have, where the Beaver Cleaver mothers would venture out from happy homemaking to serve tea and perhaps dabble the teensiest bit into political dilettantism.
Then I became aware that, locally, the League brings election candidates to the people, face-to-face, to speak in a fair and open forum about their ambitions as public servants, representatives of the people. An informed citizenry is not only the best protection for our community values — it also is the most productive way of meeting new challenges and getting things done.
As we argue about invest or save, separation of church and state, class warfare, bleeding heart, tax-and-spend liberals or compassionate conservatives and hard-hearted business moguls, it is the League that has steadily, reliably and effectively brought forth those among us who would represent our views in self-government.
Isn’t that what our American heritage is? Governing ourselves with discipline, respect and gusto so that we aren’t under the tyranny of those who would intrusively occupy and negatively affect our daily life?
Grassroots, the common man, Joe the Plumber, public service, civic responsibility, everyday heroes, Rosie the Riveter and in-the-trenches patriots: these are the building blocks of an America that has always been as real as slavery, warfare, economic depression — and public education, the post office and the neighborhood store.
The League of Women Voters brings it down to earth: in our case, to the Orcas Senior Center, where last Wednesday evening, candidates for the port and sewer districts (what could be more everyday?) and speakers for and against local measures to dispose of garbage, set aside property for a public Land Bank, and pay for much-needed and delayed repairs to our stout elementary school building, faced the standing-room only public. There they said their piece and answered questions.
Our neighbor LWVers from San Juan Island came to help keep time and make sure events flowed smoothly. OPAL’s Lisa Byers moderated the discussion. The Senior Center’s Linda Tretheway helped set up the chairs, tables and sound system. The School District’s Cathy Ferran and Keith Whitaker helped with advance preparation; Council Member Patty Miller manned the voter registration table; Orcas LWV Representatives at Large Mindy Kayl and Marian O’Brien contacted the candidates and issue spokespersons to arrange their attendance. O’Brien compiled a reference notebook of positions and candidate statements from the Election pamphlet.
Candidates and spokespersons distributed information, and the the LWV studies of the past 10 years, on the Growth Management Act, State Forests, Early Childhood Education, Ferries and Election Reform, sent from the State LWV were available for perusal. (They are also online at https://www.lwvwa.org/publications.html) These studies are not dense or obscure and provide great background for those who are interested in a clear understanding of these issues.
Unopposed candidates who have come forward to serve the School, Port, Sewer and Fire Districts were introduced and acknowledged, as were the candidates for the county-wide Charter Review Committee. LWV veteran Libby Blackwell “passed the hat” for LWV-sponsored school textbooks “The State We’re In” for civics class students of Washington history. The audience, aided by Byers’ nimble handling of the microphone, asked pertinent, well-informed questions, and many stayed beyond the meeting time to continue the discussion informally.
The League of Women Voters of the San Juans wanted to have these forums before the Voters Pamphlet came out. It is now available at the Post Office, and online at https://wei.secstate.wa.gov/sanjuan/currentelection/Pages/OnlineVotersGuide.aspx (Once there, you will click on individual races and measures by going to a “drop-down” window). It is full of state initiatives and referendums, statements from candidates and voter information.
Just 90 years ago, women in the United States WON the right to vote. Now the League of Women Voters are engaged in state battles over new laws that would deny them the right to register voters. In Saudi Arabia, women will be allowed to vote — and to drive — in 2014.
The right and privilege to vote bears the responsibility to be informed about the candidates and issues. The League of Women Voters of San Juan Islands delivers the information and the opportunities to be informed. Their next membership meeting is at the Friday Harbor Public Library at noon on Monday, Oct. 17. Those from Orcas interested in attending can make arrangement for pickup to and from the ferry by calling 317-7518.
Our work is never done. As George Bernard Shaw (and a recent pharmaceutical ad) said: “This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.”
I want to die exhausted. I want our children and grandchildren to be proud of our generation.
(Orcas Issues’ publisher and editor Margie Doyle is a Representative-at-Large for the League of Women Voters of San Juan County.)
Well said, Margie! Thank you for exlemplifying a model of reasonableness to the rest of us who, erm, are sometimes overcome by their emotions – LOL!
I was happy to attend the voters night, and wish some of the candidates would have attended so that we would have had more open questions. Lisa handled things expertly, and the meeting was short, informative, and concise. Thank you for your part in organizing, reading, and helping run the meeting.
I never take for granted my rights as a woman, and the League is an example of why I vote.