I Could Never Get the Knack of Ideology

This time a month from now we'll still be discussing and attempting to understand the meaning of the results of the November elections. I'll not waste my time nor insult your intelligence with an impassioned plea for any candidate of my choice for any of the offices being contested.

It's not because I haven't made my choices or that I lack passion for them. Like you, I feel strongly about all levels of my government to include those whom I'll rehire and those with fresh faces and, I hope, fresh ideas I'm planning on giving a chance.

Besides, it's none of your business for whom I vote and an egregious breach of manners for me to impose my opinions on you.

The only thing we'll know for certain a month from now is that we will have no option but to live with our choices or leave because of them. And while this is a national election, as Tip O'Neill offered 'all politics is local' and that's where we, as Connecticut and Norwich residents, should also focus our attention.

We are choosing a Senator, the entire Congressional delegation as well as both chambers of our state house, not to mention local issues and initiatives to include here in Norwich decisions on public bonding. It's always been my experience when we're talking money, every one listens.

I would suggest, and this isn't an endorsement so much as a set of three life rules, for your consideration as the election churn deepens and the volume of noise grows. You already know all three but may not realize you've been using them.

1. If you do not go after what you want, you'll never get it.

2. If you do not ask, the answer is always no.

3. If you do not move forward, the best you'll ever be is where you were instead of where you want.

On my block growing up, each of those was called a BGO-blinding glimpse of the obvious. And yet, looking at our nation, our state and our city, so obvious are they not.

My family and I have only lived here for two decades so if I'm out of line with this I'll pretend to apologize and you can pretend to forgive me when I suggest to long-time residents that your search for someone to blame for why Norwich 2012 isn't Norwich from (insert your favorite number of) years (here) ago doesn't do a thing for us in the here and now or help us get to tomorrow.

We will never experience the success of  a 'yes' if we always avoid asking questions out of a fear of a 'no.' We are a city of No-It-Alls, who expect everything and everyone to fail. We are surprised when efforts are recognized and rewarded but sometimes we're not very nice to those who deserve our applause.

And growth and change are both indications, and celebrations, of life. Stasis is not progress, but rather, decay. It's actually pretty binary: one or zero. One = life and Zero = well, that's for another time.

Between now and the first Tuesday of next month, you will hear from every candidate on every aspect of every issue. Feel free to use, or not, the above rules. I don't pretend your life will be easier or less bumpy if you do-that's not the point. The point of life is to be an exclamation and not an explanation.
-bill kenny