Campaigns come to a close; "this is what democracy sounds like!" (written August 30)

On to phase two of three. Wednesday marked the official end to the months of rampant campaigning that had come to consume the city. Now the people are left with over 72 hours, devoid of any politicking, to take a deep breath and come to a decision on who they believe is the right man/woman for the job of municipal president and other ancillary positions.

Walking home from school today it even appeared that along one of the main streets that runs through downtown, buildings, street signs and lamp posts had been cleared of all campaign propaganda. Maybe it was just the day and a half of grey skies and light rain, but the city seems to have returned to normal and taken a sign of relief since campaigning ended.

If nothing else, people must appreciate not having to re-route their trip home from work to adjust to the political parades that forced road closures for four straight days beginning every evening at 5pm. One editorial in Xalapa’s largest daily newspaper, El Diario de Xalapa, vehemently attacked the entire practice of daily street parades, by both candidates and unaffiliated social action groups, as not only a public disturbance but an invitation for all out anarchy. If every person or group of people closed the streets and had a parade every time they weren’t totally content with life, this editorial writes, our society couldn’t function.

I witnessed firsthand the nuisance caused by a motorcade of dozens of cars driving through town honking their horns and playing muffled music through low-quality speakers. But, I gotta say, if nothing else, it did sound a lot like what I imagine democracy would sound like, if it had a sound. Not always totally pleasing to the ears, democracy is only really in progress when lots of noise is being made, occasionally disrupting the banal daily routine of society. What I fear more than anything is a totally silent, but content society. In such a society its not that people have nothing to complain about, they just don’t have a means for voicing such complaints.

I remember back in high school I attended an after school lecture given by the Montgomery County Executive at the time, Doug Duncan. One of maybe a dozen students in attendance, I had planned a quick exit once Duncan wrapped up his hour-long, monotone spiel on being a good citizen, voting, blah, blah, blah. My plan was spoiled when a healthily heavy set, animated African-American woman stood up, grabbed the mic, and demanded that Mr. Duncan tell her why her physically-disabled 17 year-old son, now hiding in the seat next to hers in embarrassment, had been denied entry into several public schools in the representative’s county. Caught totally off guard and with no real response that could possibly appease this woman, he apologized, but said that this wasn’t the time to bring up such personal matters. And I agreed.

Immediately after the lecture I called my dad to tell him to come pick me up, but soon digressed and began to express my anger at this woman who thought she could just march in and disrupt the talk with her and her son’s problems. Letting me finish my rant, my dad pointed out something that I now realize is a fundamental premise of democracy. Sometimes the only way people like the lady and her son feel they can be heard is by making some noise. And yes, it often causes inconveniences, as did the daily street parades of this past week. But, regardless of the political system within which you live, people are going to have complaints. The only difference that exists within a democratic one is that there are outlets, such as the upcoming elections, but also peaceful parades in the streets, through which concerns can be civilly expressed.