There are times when you just have to step out of your comfort zone.
Standing in front of Stop & Shop on a Sunday this month with clipboard in hand was certainly one of those times for me. I was collecting signatures for Sen. Elizabeth Warren who is running for re-election this fall. It seems that even sitting elected officials must have enough voter backing to be placed on the ballot.
How I happened to be there that day is another story, but it turned out that I was very glad I was. This was my first experience of being on the other side of the clipboard and it was an eye- opener as I learned firsthand the many ways people will try to avoid being bothered by a stranger brandishing a clipboard and pen. Many simply averted their eyes as they passed me by and attempted to escape into the store.
I discovered early on that if I could get just two words in before they disappeared, I might grab their attention. And those two words were simply, “Elizabeth Warren.”. If they were supporters, they’d stop in their tracks and turn back to hear my spiel.
They would say things like, “Oh, Elizabeth Warren, she’s fantastic”. Or, “Yes, where do I sign?”
But that wasn’t always the response. There were, of course, quite negative ones as well. “No way,” one woman barked at me as she breezed by. Another called Warren divisive. The Native American issue was mentioned, as well as the word “shrill.”
And then there were those who simply had no opinion or couldn’t be bothered. One young man slowed down long enough to tell me that he isn’t registered to vote, his excuse for not talking to me.
Life is hard for so many, their lives filled with work, school, family, money troubles, you name it. They feel overwhelmed and have little or no energy for civic engagement. I understand, but I did call out to him as he rushed away, that we need him, and I urged him to register. Plant a seed, I say.
But what of those shoppers who dissed the senator out of hand. I wished I could have asked them why they felt this way, but there wasn’t the time or the opportunity.
I do have my own thoughts about why some people, men and women alike, seem to dislike Warren so much. Could it be that as a woman she refuses to behave in the way our culture demands? I don’t think any of those shoppers would say that’s the reason they disapprove of her so strongly. But maybe that is the answer, it’s just an ingrained attitude.
A man can be bold and passionate with his opinions, can be “in your face” and even loud in expressing them, and not be viewed as divisive. A man is never seen as “shrill.” No, he will be judged as forceful and strong, confident and sure of what he’s saying even when he’s not, as can often be the case. People will view him as authoritative. Not so much if he is a she.
Our culture teaches us that women should be quiet, they should keep the peace. They should never push their opinions, should always let the man do the talking. Women find that when they do speak up, they may not be listened to very well, and recent studies have shown this to be a common occurrence.
But when there’s someone like Sen. Warren, who breaks all those rules and speaks her mind loudly and passionately. Some people are uncomfortable with that and find that they just don’t like her. But is that a good reason to reject a candidate?
Shouldn’t we be considering more important attributes such as what she values and the issues she is willing to fight for. What is her background? Is she well-informed and does she have good ideas?
Does she push for policies that will benefit the vast number of Americans, with so many who are hard-working and struggling to make ends meet, rather than the small sliver at the top who are richer than the bottom 90 percent of us. The answer to that, of course, is yes — she stands with us.
So, why do I support Elizabeth Warren? Because she uses her knowledge, her passion and her voice to protect people like you and me, the consumers who were and are at the mercy of Wall Street bankers whose actions resulted in the financial crisis of 2008 that harmed millions of people. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau was her brainchild and without her it never would have become law.
Sen. Warren supports affordable health care for everyone, common-sense gun control laws, legislation to reverse the destructive effects of income inequality, campaign finance reform, strong regulations to protect the environment and to keep us safe, a strong and affordable public education system, and many other programs designed to improve the lives of all Americans.
But what about this Native American flap? It began in 2012 and whipped into high gear once the president began referring to her as “Pocahontas,” a racist insult to both women. Warren’s family instilled in her a belief that they were of Native American ancestry and, with pride, she believed it.
I was told I was of Lithuanian ancestry and I believed that. But her belief regarding her heritage has been turned into a major smear campaign, and why? Because she fights to hold the monied classes, who would love to see her gone from the Senate, to account, and because she demands that “we the people” get a fair shake.
The truth is there is no evidence that she used that belief about her heritage to further her career. There is no evidence that she took advantage of anyone or anything to advance to the office she now holds — unlike the president who, born into wealth, took advantage wherever he could, through his constant lying and bullying, his multiple bankruptcies, threatening lawsuits, questionable business practices and the cheating of his workers, to advance to the office he now holds.
Elizabeth Warren is a fighter and maybe some people don’t like it when a woman stands up and loudly fights for what she believes in. Maybe they’d rather believe the dishonest smear campaign without investigating it for themselves.
But I suggest everyone take a look at what and who she’s fighting for before passing judgment.
Karen Gardner, of Haydenville, a retired computer programmer, is a bird watcher, nature photographer and ukulele player. She can be reached at opinion@gazettenet.com.