A Fighting Spirit Gets My Vote!
by Gail Riecken, City-County Observer Statehouse Editor
When I first read John Krull’s September 17 article about political candidates and his objection to their saying “ I will fight for youâ€, I couldn’t imagine why he had such difficulty with the phrase.
Now I realize that Krull was really talking about the importance of civility when politicians work toward a solution. He thinks saying to the public “I will work for you†to get their support is a better phrase and should be the right relationship between politicians and their constituents.
I think the work “fight†is exactly what politicians should do – or any or us who have a passion and even anger about a issue. Constituents need to know they have someone in their corner. You can still be civil.
Krull’s article made me think of an interview that Bill Moyers had with Barbara Tuchman, noted historian (1912-1989). It is reported in his book,  A World of Ideas (published May, 1989).
“Moyers to Tuchman:  You asked a rousing series of questions not long ago: Where’s the anger that ought to have met the deaths of two hundred and forty-one U. S. Marines through the incompetence of their superiors? Where’s the anger over the thirty-seven deaths on the USS Stark through official negligence?
Where’s the outrage over disclosure of misconduct and incompetence revealed in the Iran-Contra scandal?And I could add to that list-where’s the outrage over the swindling by the defense industry? What’s happened to the outrage?
“Tuchman:  Mr. Moyers, I don’t know what’s happened to it, except that some how people don’t take wrongdoing seriously. Perhaps there’s just too much of it. We’re not surprised any more. We’re just used to it.â€
Just used to it. Desensitized.
Maybe that’s why there is a lack of anger over so many things happening around us – like the alleged sexual assault of Christine Blakey Ford by Judge Brett Kavanaugh or the CCO story of the City’s financial crisis or that so many young Hoosiers were left out of the IU Medical Center project yet Evansville taxpayers are paying for it or so many infants are dying or too many children are the victims of their parents drug habits.
In Barbara Tuchman’s words, we just must be used to it.
Well, it seems to me we could use a little fighting spirit around here.
Just like our 8th District Congressman that refuses to appear in public and talk about issues.
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