From the IL 10th Wrap-Up:
I’m Republican Because of You
| WRITTEN by Keith Brin I was a real elected official in my former life. Like Pinocchio becoming a real boy. I was the elected Lake County Clerk of the Circuit Court, from 2012 – 2016. It feels strange even writing those words, because it seems like 2012 was a lifetime ago, and because commenting on those dates of service rings all too familiar as an epitaph as we all mourn the loss of Senator Lindsay Graham. I often comment on how I’m a “rehabilitated elected official,” intimating that being an elected official of most sorts is a different world: People regard you as somehow regal, deserving of extra titles and accolades and attention, just because one day you won an election. I say this not to demean the effort and importance of an election; on the contrary, I know firsthand the time, the stress, the work, and the sublimation of your privacy to the whims of online trolls, to get elected. But I reflect that somehow the day after an election, you somehow deserved so much “newfound” respect and admiration from people who definitely worked hard to make sure you didn’t win behind the scenes. It always amazed me that everyone I ran into after I won told me, with a straight face, that they were proud to vote for me. Not a single person said they voted against me! Astonishing how that didn’t happen when I lost. |
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But there is one thing that will stand out to me among the things we did during my tenure as Circuit Clerk, and I only found out about the ramifications a few weeks ago. I was recently at an event where my son and some of his friends were enjoying the summer weather and festivities. Out of nowhere, one of my son’s friends approached me and asked if I was still involved in politics. I nodded and asked him if he had also become involved. He said, “Yes,” and further added, “I’m active at college and with candidates there. I’m a Republican because of you.” There are few times in which I am truly at a loss for words. This was one of them. I could only sheepishly ask him, “Why?” He told me that when I was Circuit Clerk, I had a program where I would bring middle school kids to the courthouse. They would get to meet a judge, the State’s Attorney, the Sheriff, and myself, and learn all about the court system. And then I would have a special ceremony where I would swear each of them in as Deputy Circuit Clerks, have them sign their names to special take-home certificates, and they would get to file-stamp court papers under the guidance of the full-time staff. It turns out that he was a part of the program when I brought in my son’s middle school class. He was so enamored by the program, the people involved, and learning about the road to be an elected official, that I transformed his thoughts on politics and ultimately led him to become politically involved. I was amazed, and even more thankful for that program. I affected at least one life in a profound way because of my election into office. We all make small decisions everyday that have unknown downstream effects. History is rife with them. For example, the hall of fame football player, Jerry Rice, only started playing football when his high school principal punished him for cutting school by making him try out for the football team his sophomore year. In 1954, a police officer found a 12-year-old fuming over his stolen bike. The boy wanted to go fight the thief, but the officer told him to learn how to box first, and offered to train him. That boy, named Cassius Clay, would later be known as Muhammad Ali. In 1928, a Scottish physician named Alexander Flemming accidentally left a petri dish of cultured bacterial plates open. When he later examined the petri dishes, he found that the plates were contaminated by some blue-green growth. Flemming named the substance “Penicillin,” which he found could inhibit the growth of certain bacteria. If Flemming had not properly secured the containers of the bacterial cultures in his lab, or if it hadn’t been the perfect temperature for Penicillin to grow (between 68 and 77 degrees), the discovery would not have happened. In 1945, Percy Spencer noticed that the microwaves from an active radar set he was working on started to melt a candy bar in his pocket. He then popped popcorn and cooked an egg. The microwave as a cooking appliance was born. It’s often the small moments in our lives that have the most downstream effects. Whether the effort is directed towards something neutral, like the accidental discovery of Penicillin or the microwave, or towards something more virtuous to one person, like a police officer taking a small boy under his wing, the downstream effects could be lifechanging for a lot of people. And yes, I know that nothing so historical occurred as a result of my middle-school program at the courthouse. But who knows – maybe I’ll be in my 90’s sitting on a Florida beach and turn on whatever will suffice as media, and I’ll hear our newly-elected President crediting a Circuit Court Clerk for inspiring him to enter politics in middle school. Do good things – the universe may take notice and let others experience the richness of your efforts. Even on this beautiful Chicago summer day, don’t wait for an election to do good things. Make the lives of those around you better, and we all benefit. |
