This commentary was contributed by Jeanie Wallace, Democratic Central Committee District 5 candidate. The opinions expressed do not necessarily represent BenitoLink or other affiliated contributors. Submissions must follow BenitoLink’s Terms of Use. During campaign seasons, BenitoLink allows up to two submissions a month related to a particular candidate or measure such as an announcement of candidacy, platforms or endorsements. Submissions made by other agencies/groups endorsing candidates are counted toward the candidate’s/measure tally. If your submission has qualities we find self-Advertising or promotional in nature it may be edited (toned down) or not published at all. BenitoLink will not publish any campaign-related submissions after Feb. 26. E-mail Noe Magaña at noemagana@benitolink.com with questions. Lea este articulo en español aqui.

I’m going to confess right here that my title is a cheap trick, because I think portraying these two concepts as though they were in opposition to each other is actually a costly mistake. And yet, it has become so common to denounce politics as anathema to democracy, that many people accept such pronouncements as obvious truth. If you are tempted to agree (and I do understand why you might), I’d like to ask you to reconsider.

I am a mostly-retired high school United States history and government teacher. I spent my career promoting the ideals of democracy, attempting to instill in students the conviction that government of, by, and for the people is a thing to be cherished, and to convey to them that living in a democracy carries responsibility.

We cannot preserve our democracy simply by uttering words of gratitude. We cannot even preserve it through military service; our men and women in uniform defend our sovereignty, but it is up to all of us to sustain our democracy.

You cannot have fair trials without average people serving on juries, and some people devoting their careers to serving as lawyers and judges. Similarly, you cannot have a healthy democracy without average people bothering to vote responsibly, and some people stepping up to serve in elective office — on city councils, county boards of supervisors, or hospital district boards, in state legislatures, or in Congress, or in a host of other positions — studying the issues, learning the laws and operating procedures of the various government entities, building relationships, and working to address the needs of the community or nation.

Some of these people, if they work in a state capital or Washington, DC, sacrifice a great deal of personal and family time because they have to live away from home during the week, and travel back home to their families on weekends, while also spending much of that time out in their districts. I’m not suggesting we need to pity them, and I acknowledge that there are some who appear to be in it more for personal glory than public service — but that does not mean we should fail to appreciate the contributions of  those who are in it because they believe in our democracy.

When we lump all elected officials together, and dismiss them as “politicians,” we undermine our own system of representative government by disabling those we have chosen to look out for our interests. It is easy to judge all politicians as corrupt, but it is dishonest and lazy.

Our responsibility is to pay attention, to try to sort out reliable information from deceptive misinformation, and to select trustworthy and competent representatives to safeguard our institutions and resources. And in these times of mostly unregulated social media, we must guard against believing unsubstantiated claims made by individuals and entities with dishonorable agendas.

Sometimes, my students would ask me, “Can’t we just do away with the political parties?” Young people are not alone in being put off by partisan conflicts, but the answer to that question is “No, we can’t.” If we are going to live in a democracy, we have to allow our citizens not only to vote, but also to discuss their ideas, and to work together to elect individuals whom they believe represent their interests. As long as we have freedom of speech and freedom of assembly, people are going to form political parties. And they will use those parties to achieve their goals. This is not, in itself, a bad thing.

The real harm comes when good-hearted, well-intentioned people remove themselves entirely from political discourse. We must guard against sending a message to our young people that there is something distasteful and dishonorable about taking an interest in politics. We cannot expect them to defend democracy, if we also show them through our words and actions that we distrust all politicians, and that we want nothing to do with political activities.

The same belief in democracy that drove me to pursue a career in teaching also nudged me to join the San Benito County Democratic Central Committee (SBCDCC) many years ago. I have worked alongside other dedicated volunteers on this committee, registering people to vote, holding gatherings to introduce candidates to the community, staffing booths at the county fair and farmers’ market, and in other ways seeking to further the interests of working class families. (I’ve no doubt that our counterparts on the Republican Central Committee are motivated by the same purpose, even though we have different views regarding how best to further those interests.)

During the current election, those of us who have been serving on the SBCDCC find ourselves campaigning for reelection, while we also try to help our endorsed candidates for county supervisor and other seats. I am encouraged when I encounter voters who answer the door and take an interest in the election. I am saddened when I run into someone who considers election-related messaging distasteful and even dishonorable. I am especially saddened when I encounter someone who is afraid of putting out a yard sign displaying their support for a candidate, because they’re afraid of how their neighbors might treat them, or that they will anger their landlord.

I believe it is important that we all embrace the responsibility that comes with the gift of democracy — that we resist the temptation to dismiss all politicians as corrupt just because some indeed are, and we instead rise to the challenge of getting to know them and what they truly stand for. Our children are watching. They will not be empowered to defend the democracy they inherit if we do not model good citizenship.

Please remember to vote by Tuesday, March 5. There is more on the ballot than “just” the presidential primary, and it is all important. For my part, if you are a registered Democrat, I would appreciate your vote for the slate of candidates for Democratic Central Committee that includes the incumbents who have already been doing the work of the party. And, of course, for Zoe Lofgren for Congress, John Laird for State Senate, Robert Rivas for State Assembly, and either Dustin Weber (District 1), John Freeman (District 2), or Bea Gonzales (District 5) for County Supervisor.

Thank you for your attention