John Quincy or Old Hickory? Choose your fighter

By Chuck Thompson | The Sunday Column

OPINION — There’s only so many “types” of people in politics. When I look at a local elected official or candidate I always see them as a local version of someone else in history.

I’ll look at one person and say well there’s the Bill Clinton or the Ronald Reagan, The Julius Caesar or the John Adams of Cleveland County. Oh, look, there’s the Andrew Jackson of the school board; there’s the Kennedy, Carter, Taft, Hoover or the Honorius (an incompetent childish Roman Emperor of the 5th century) of Cleveland County.

Every local politician, from present to previous, still moving and shaking across Cleveland County in some form or another, reminds me of some historical figure on a local level. Why? I was a history major and still a history buff; that’s just how I’m wired.

In our own American society, The "powers that be" did not actually want Andrew Jackson to win; but he did. Jackson won the 1828 election by riding a massive populist wave of the common man that dismantled the old political establishment led by John Quincy Adams.

They gave him a difficult time, but eventually he overcame and reminded the establishment that the people were in charge.

Julius Caesar was another that changed history and showed Rome that the people could decide, not just a selected elite few… This scared Roman aristocracy so bad they never recovered and were willing to have an emperor for 500 years until the end of that civilization just to keep the common people in check.

Caesar literally changed the course of Roman history.

Am I really comparing local politicians to these bohemians of history known across the world? No… not exactly. But they have their similarities on a very different, much smaller, local level.

So, sure, yeah. In a way.

Like I said, there’s only so many types of politicians. It might be local but they still have similar qualities.

How do you think that you would you be defined in comparison if you were a local political public figure? I don’t think any of us could fairly or accurately decide that for ourselves; it’s not up to us but for others to decide. All we can do is stand up for our beliefs, control our words and our actions, and hope we use good character and have the moral authority to do what is right.

But would we? Would we make mistakes? Absolutely. To think otherwise is arrogant and automatically qualifies you for candidacy, but they’re not all that way.

Some run for office because they think their views / ideas are superior to others - while some run because they feel like they have no other choice when they see one blunder or lie after another blanketed across the local political landscape it leaves them to begrudgingly do it. We have both types running this year.

That’s why politics is not my cup of tea.

I’m no hero and I sure don’t want to be a villain. I get enough hate mail as it is as a print reporter, and I don’t have the authority to do anything — but I do enjoy informing the public with what they might want to know (via the local news) and making our community of Cleveland County a healthier place to live. Heart attacks will do that — it’ll make you want others to live healthier.

I doubt running for office makes anyone healthier, which is ironic since so many health decisions are based on laws passed by people who are stressed out to the max in the political system.

I’m all about getting healthy. I think everyone should be and could be a little healthier, and it doesn’t take a law to do it.

I save a life every time I tell someone that I’m going to run as a write-in candidate. They get angry or nervous and it increases their heart rate and gets their blood pumping, clearing out stagnant cholesterol. Their eyebrow creases, their body temperature rises and they start to sweat out toxins.

You’re welcome.

They don’t see it that way. They see it as a problem. But regardless, they’re welcome, too.

Some see it as a problem… and that’s the problem in itself.

Time and time again, when you set firm boundaries or refuse to go along with their agenda, toxic controlling people often label you as difficult or crazy to avoid accountability and regain control; this is especially true in politics. This tactic makes the public doubt the reality of the person or situation, which is what we call ‘gaslighting.’

They (whomever “they” are depending on the situation and narrative) attempt to shift focus away from their own bad behavior and onto your reaction. They want you to feel bad so you will give in and follow their rules.

You don’t have to run for office for this to happen, sometimes you just have to write and publish an investigative journalism piece and those that feel threatened by your reporting will treat you like you’re running for office anyways.

So why not?

Their fragile ego cannot handle being wrong or facing the truth.

Your supporters become those that can think for themselves, looking for a change, while your detractors are those that both have something to lose by your rise and also those that cannot think for themselves, sticking to what they’ve been told to believe and to change would upset the order of things.

This was evident in the 2016 presidential election. We all saw this play out and still do to this day. You’re immediate thought from this paragraph identifies which one you are. And that’s okay, that’s your opinion / belief. Own it. I respect it. We don’t have to agree to have my respect. I hope others feel the same way about you.

But this is not my time to run for local office.

I don’t care what the political nepos say. I’m definitely not intimidated. That’s evident by what I write and sign my name to many things as a print journalist which brings me both encouragement and criticism, sometimes hateful criticism.

You can’t intimidate a person who, by chance and the Grace of God, survived a massive heart attack. An event like that teaches one to fear no man, only God.

And whether the local powers that be choose to endorse me one day, or smear me as they egregiously did a few candidates earlier this year during the primaries, - we have all learned in past local political elections there’s really no bad publicity - just publicity.

I'm not running for office.

If you’re one that panicked thinking I might run for office as a write-in candidate this November - you’re welcome. I just saved you from having to get a new prescription by getting your blood flowing, the cholesterol moving and the toxins sweated out.

Healthy living is essential to both the body and mental health.

Don’t say I never do things for others.

*winky face *

This is not my time to upset the Cleveland County apple cart even further by throwing my hat in the local political arena. I'm more likely to attempt heart surgery long before I attempt politics. I doubt heart surgery would be as stressful.

However, depending on what happens over the next year, all that could change.

But I doubt it.

If I ever kick this bad habit I have called "journalism," the last thing I'd want to do is trade it for another unhealthy activity such as politics.

Have a great week, everyone.

Read The Sunday Column, every week, on in The Shelby Independent.

Chuck Thompson is a reporter and columnist for The Shelby Independent.

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