Sunday’s Column – Leaving Out Politics

Jan 20, 2014 by winjaw

Reading through the newspaper over the last few days, I’ve come to a couple of conclusions.

One is that liberals and conservatives seem to just despise the other’s viewpoint. Despise might be too light a word. The other is that if anything happened to the SONS of Thunder or the Little Black Dress, there’s nowhere else I’d want to be. Two conclusions I know seem miles apart.

I define “anything happened” as being diagnosed with an incurable disease; falling into a well; baffling doctors with some virus that no one can pinpoint; being killed in a car wreck.

We’ve reported on all the above over the last couple of weeks. And it has been incredibly heartwarming to see how this community has pulled together in each of those instances.

Second-grader Megan Winters (no relation) fell into a well, breaking several bones. Her school rallied behind her with gifts and visits. They even held a “hat day” to raise money to construct a ramp for her while she’s wheelchair-bound.

Citizens and businesses in Senoia have jumped up to help “Lonnie,” who has had a string of bad luck. They recently held a bike ride fundraiser, and customers at various restaurants are paying a little extra so Lonnie can eat for free.

Seven-year-old Amethyst “Amy” Hiestand has had every medical test known to man run on her, and doctors still can’t pinpoint what is ailing her. Fundraisers are being held to help pay for the family to go to the Mayo Clinic to find out exactly what’s wrong.

Lucille Miller, 32, is facing a non-curable disease. There is little hope. But more than 100 friends and family staged a surprise “flash mob” for her recently. Just because.

Keris Bembry is 4 years old. She has a rare brain tumor. Once again, the community is rallying behind the family.

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Abby’s story is special to me for many reasons. One is that I covered the wreck and the followup stories about her life and organ donation. The family was gracious in allowing me to interview them and talk about Abby. Another is that my youngest son was the same age as Abby when she died. I look at Abby’s photos. I look at my son.

In 25 years of being a journalist, to this day that series remains the hardest — emotionally — I have ever written. One does not simply “detach” from that while at a keyboard.

Abby’s story continues. The community outpouring for her family was, and is, incredible. The family has put out PSAs with the young driver involved in the wreck about the dangers of driving. They’ve started the Abby’s Angels Foundation, which provides school supplies to children in need. The Hudson Family Foundation is promoting a dual concert at Auburn Arena with Jeff Foxworthy and Rascal Flatts. Half the proceeds will go to Abby’s foundation.

During the height of the Cold War in the mid-1980s, internationally renown musician Sting, lead singer of The Police, wrote a song titled “Russians.”

“We share the same biology, regardless of ideology. What might save us, me, and you, is if the Russians love their children too.”

In all the above stories, not once was race, nationality, economic status or religion ever mentioned. More importantly, no one in the community cared whether the parents were liberals, conservatives, Tea Party members, anarchists or communists. The community, our community, pulled together to help those in need.

Maybe it’s time, and especially on this page, to realize liberals and conservatives are not going to change each other’s opinion, especially as the rhetoric gets sharper and more personal. Everyone just digs in their heels and nothing constructive is said.

Maybe it’s time to realize we can politely agree to disagree. And maybe it’s time to realize that one’s political bent is not nearly as important as how our community — with multitudes of varying viewpoints — has come together as shown above.