PRINTBuying democracy
May 1, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
Have you found yourself wearing extra-dark sunglasses lately so you don’t have to look petitioners directly in the eyes? I’ve found it helps prevent pestering.
But sometimes it doesn’t. And when some people find themselves being badgered by the occasionally cute, young kids whose charming faces seem so innocent, they also find themselves signing whatever petition gets tossed at them. I found myself falling into the signature trap when a college-age kid asked me if I’d like to support an equal rights to work petition. I thought it was sweet that someone so young would care so much about diversity.
But then I read the fine print. The amendment was actually to ban affirmative action practices in the state government. Anyone who’s spent time in the work force knows that diversity is sorely lacking. When I told my petitioner I felt uneasy signing anything that would harm diversity, I got a used-car-salesman set of questions: “Oh, why is that? Don’t you think everyone deserves an equal right to work? Well, if you don’t agree with that one, how about signing one about eminent domain?”
The pressure to sign aroused my suspicions. Isn’t the point of a petition to get people who truly believe in a change to back it? A guilt trip to cajole me into a signature I did not want to give seemed undemocratic.
The badgering made a lot more sense once I realized the kid probably couldn’t care less about the amendment. He was getting paid for each signature, and so are all the other people littering the streets and harassing us to support petitions that may or may not have been accurately described.
I only hope those who successfully sweet-talk their way into a John Hancock remember Mother’s Day is coming when they get a check for supporting democracy. If you’re scrambling for gift ideas, turn to page 13 for our handy gift guide. You’ll find all the present possibilities you’d need for moms, grads, dads and anyone else in between.
