I first appeared on this page three years ago, analyzing the implications of Ned Lamont's Democratic primary upset of Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn. Anti-war progressives were on the cusp of a political breakthrough, I speculated. Forty-five columns later, progressive Democrats are wielding power in every elected branch. Well done, America.
Over the years, most of my columns have offered advice to our leaders downtown, expounding on immigration and farm subsidies, exhorting Democrats to listen to their conscience and lamenting that Republicans so often seem to lack one. For this final piece, though, my advice is not for our public officials, but rather comes from them. Here, then, are my final morsels of wisdom to remember when embarking on your own political career:
First, if you ever get your hands on something you think is "bleeping golden," do not try to sell it, and watch your profanity on the phone.
Second, when choosing your vice presidential candidate, ask what newspapers the person reads. Go to the next candidate on your list if the answer is "all of them."
Third, if you're a Democrat, like me, you probably celebrate two holidays: Christmas and April 15 - Tax Day. Unfortunately, if you ever want to be a cabinet secretary celebrating isn't enough - you actually have to pay your taxes, too. Unless you want to lead the department in charge of the Internal Revenue Service, of course, in which case paying taxes is optional.
Finally - and this is the serious part - I want to talk about one of the most profound experiences I had at AU. Two years ago, Rep. John Lewis, D-Ga., delivered the annual R. Bruce Poynter Lecture. Lewis, a civil rights icon, talked about what he always talks about: justice, peace, the beloved community. Now it's easy for us to nod our heads and say yes, John Lewis, these are good things. We want justice in our lives; we want peace in our world; all of us here want to participate in the beloved community.
But how do we get there? John Lewis was asking himself that question 50 years or so ago. The rumblings of change were starting to ripple across the Deep South. For hundreds of years, black people were told to accept inequality, to tolerate injustice, to keep their heads down. But for the first time in his life, the congressman said, he began to hear people like Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks say "No more." In their example, he heard them saying "You too, John Lewis. Stand up, John Lewis and get in the way."
That's our challenge. We know about voting. We know all about the intricacies of caucuses, and public polling, and how to sort mail for important people downtown. But sometimes I wonder if we know enough about getting in the way. About how to, in Lewis's words, "get in trouble, good trouble, necessary trouble."
Too many people in public affairs today are preoccupied with the wrong preoccupations. For too many people, just winning the next election is all that matters. Getting invited to the right lobbyist parties or Sunday talk shows is all that matters. Dodging that next indictment is all that matters.
We can do better than this, and we must. It is, I am convinced, the very charge of history: to overcome those who would frustrate justice. To join hands with those who continue the great project of making this a more perfect union. I am confident we can meet this challenge boldly, creatively, courageously. And then may we too share in the beloved community. Thank you for reading, for your complements and critiques. It has truly been a pleasure.
Jacob Shelly is a senior in the School of Public Affairs and a liberal columnist for The Eagle. You can reach him at edpage@theeagleonline.com.
