Average Jane Remembers Mama Voting

I received this from Suzanne and thought it sounded like a good post for Mother’s Day.

First, take a look at I Remember Mama Voting, then think about your own mother or mother figure and how she may or may not have influenced your political views and your attitudes about voting and civic participation.  Next, write about how you remember this important woman in your life in relation to politics.

Please share the I Remember Mama Voting link in your post about your mom and politics, http://acorn.org/moms.

If you’ve got blogger friends who you’d like to also try this meme, then please do so.  Please tell your readers about this meme.

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My great-grandmother ran her town’s newspaper along with her husband, and was one of the first women in that town to drive a car. My grandmother was also in the newspaper business and struggled with editors who said that it was okay that her male co-workers made more money than she did because she had a husband who worked.

Thus, it’s no surprise that my mother ended up being an important role model for me when it came to being engaged with politics and social justice.

I have lots of early memories of accompanying my mother to the voting booth on election day and watching her pull the levers for the candidates of her choice. She always said it was important to do your homework and make choices based on everything you could find out. (However, I also remember her saying that it was too difficult to research all of the judges, so she always voted not to retain any of them.)

My mother and I both ended up registering as Democrats. She once told me that she only did so to annoy her father. I took the choice much more seriously than that and registered the way my 18-year-old conscience led me. More than 20 years later, that decision continues to reflect my political attitudes.

Thanks to the influence of my parents, I vote every time I get the opportunity. This year, I caucused for the first time – and I’m sure it won’t be the last.

I may have some doubts about the power of a single voice in our electoral system, as did my mother and grandmothers before me, but I share their belief that it’s still important to make yourself heard. They taught me that it’s up to all of us to try to make this country work for everyone.

I can’t wait until November.