Politics out of the Closet

Conservative Roots

Have I mentioned my conservative roots?  My grandfather, Harry Barth was instrumental in molding my political ideals.  I have tried to examine all issues, and admit in not always voting a straight Republican ticket, but my views have tended toward smaller government and limiting taxes and  spending.  My grandfather was a no-nonsense guy.  He rose to be second in charge in the manufacturing division at Camera Works, a division of Eastman Kodak, in Rochester New York, during World War 2.  He had limited formal education, growing up poor, in rural Pennsylvania, and as a youth, being drafted and serving as a private in the United States Army during the First World War.  His responsibility as the oldest surviving sibling in this very poor, large farm family, and military experience in France groomed his eventual future at Eastman Kodak.  He displayed respected ways of organizational leadership in this manufacturing plant division, which at that time was greatly involved in making war parts for "The Boys". He walked three miles to work from Brighton, New York to downtown Rochester to Kodak, to save gasoline, because the war effort might need the fuel.  Raising his family through the depression years, my grandmother and he lived frugally.  My mother's bedroom was often on the porch, as my grandmother and grandfather took on providing temporary housing, food, and job-finding efforts for relatives and friends in need of work or a place to stay.  It was no surprise that he believed in hard work, and in utilizing people-to-people efforts as much as possible.  Harry Barth had a disdain for using large scale government programs for aid, when people could help others directly as a first resort.  He had a way of getting people back on their feet and back to work and independence when hard times fell on them.  These methods worked for my grandfather, and as a young child, I learned they would also work for me.  It was just the way it was.  We could, nor did not question the political values or backbone of this patriotic, loving, giving hard working man who was the patriarch of our family.   It was the way it was, and as a young child, I could not question this man with such strength and commitment.  However, as we youth in our family grew older, my grandfather's political visions seemed to make even more sense.

Of late, the conservative views have not always fallen onto great popularity.  I have often not showed politics on my sleeve, except to those whom I know have similar views to myself, or in campaign situations, where this expression is expected and encouraged.  This is something I need to work through, as I have the ability to articulately express opinions, and might lead those with opposing views to consider my points of view. 

Friends share my excitement of meeting Sarah Palin

Sharing Sarah

Meeting Sarah has given me more courage of self-expression.  This has happened in several ways.  I was around many who shared my views in the long line awaiting Sarah.  This time gave many of us hours together, where we could mutually share feelings of why we were at the event, and why we loved Sarah Palin.  After my Saturday waiting for Sarah, meeting her, and her family I was somewhat surprised beginning the next day that people came up to me and told me they had seen me on television, in the long line, cheering with the crowd.  I had not seen the broadcasts, and with all of the media around, did not know what had been broadcast.  Dozens of people have come up to me, both at church and work, and told me how much they admire Sarah Palin.  Many have been intrigued to see my book, and share my excitement.  My college roommate has mobility issues from multiple sclerosis, and would have had big issues with standing so long.  Many of my hospital co-workers had to work, and were unable to come to the event.  Even today, one of my friends, a resident physician, had paged me to tell me that she loves Sarah, and was so disappointed she had to work, as she would have been there.  She was disappointed to not have a signed book to give her mother for Christmas.  Another church friend invited me recently to her country farm home after church so she could give me some squash and harvest, and added to please bring my Sarah Palin book so her husband, a Sarah Palin admirer, could see it, and hear my story from my meeting Sarah.  He was just so excited to know someone who had actually met Governor Palin!  So, I have decided through my story, and through meeting Sarah and her family that I can share and promote her ideals and persona.

A change in me?

I often sit at work near one of my co-workers as we review patient charts and identify diagnostic factors that are entered into our computer programs.  My friend Mary and myself see eye-to-eye on politics, and we have been in Sarah Palin's corner since she first appeared on the national political scene.  We will often share a story or laugh about current political events.  She, of course, was the recipient of some copies of my book-signing Sarah photos and a Sarah Palin for 2012 campaign button.  Through seeing Sarah, I have been more eager and open in sharing the events of the day with even more friends and co-workers.  I have learned that in expressing my enthusiasm that I might get--"You are Crazy", or a questioning glare, but no one wants to argue about how I felt about the day of meeting Sarah.  After all, that is inside my heart and soul.  No one will take that thrill or those feelings from me.  No one can argue with why I feel how I feel, and with why I admire Sarah.  No one questions me about wanting to help in Sarah's future success, nor are they surprised by my motives.  Sarah has brought out a revived passion to support her cause in whatever way that I can.  I have also brought more people into this fold, one-by-one, since this day of our meeting!

Our nursing jobs can be stressful.  One day last week, I had my beeper going off, I was on the telephone, with another waiting call, and a third hospital phone ringing for me, while I was on the computer trying to complete patient discharge paperwork.  I said the friend and co-worker, Mary--"Boy, if Sarah can sign 2,000 books in Pittsburg in a morning, and another like number in Rochester the same evening, I think I can handle just about anything that this job throws at me--it's just not so bad!"  Sarah has brought to me a new kind of resolve, and reasons to inwardly laugh at myself when I get into these challenging multitask situations.  You go girl!

Joyce Wiedrich
November 30, 2009

photos property of Joyce L. Wiedrich