Let's Meet for Coffee
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| Photo: John Isaacs|imby |
For people who have not yet had the chance to meet Democratic congressional hopeful Will Yandik, an opportunity presents itself next Monday, January 18. At 10 a.m., Yandik, fourth generation farmer, environmentalist, and deputy supervisor for the Town of Livingston, will be at Crossroads Food Shop on Route 23 in Hillsdale to talk, over coffee, about his experience, qualifications, and aspirations to take over the 19th Congressional District seat being vacated by Chris Gibson.
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A very accomplished, well educated, young man.
ReplyDeleteA prime candidate for election!
Yawn...
ReplyDeleteYou should meet him before you say that.
DeleteI admire blue-collar leaders -- folks who can relate to the working man. Instead, I see a self-described "family farmer" with an Ivy league pedigree. So far, I'm not impressed. Time will tell.
ReplyDeleteI see, so we must have the proper credentials (or in this case not have them).
DeleteI never found the working man's hero trope very useful (or interesting), but is it fair to assume that you're equally unimpressed by a John Adams? Which is to say, a farmer, a product of the Ivy League, a lawyer, a slave to public service ...
Who do you suppose created this nation but learned and talented farmers?
The photos of Yandik are telling. What I see is a politician who has lived a life of privilege and consumed far too much Wonder Bread. I see a politician who does not understand what it is like to survive with no benefits or safety net in the new gig economy. Does this man have anything whatsoever in common with the young men and women whose tattooed bodies symbolize their alienation from straight-laced politicians like Yandik?
ReplyDeleteTo say that "learned and talented farmers" created this nation is illusory romanticism. I admire blue collar workers because that is what I know. My grandfather was a coal miner and a farmer who barely knew how to read and write. My grandmother worked as a cleaning lady in Philadelphia public schools for 25 years. Some people might consider such people worthless, but I'm proud of them. There you have it.
Will is my friend, and I can promise you you've got him totally wrong.
DeleteHe's not above the humble things you've written about here. I swear it.
Please, give him a chance.
To me more salient, is that whatever your background, be it one of having silver spoons, or no spoons at all, what really matters is your ability to transcend that, and have empathy for those not of your background, and the skill set and self discipline, to serve the public interest in an intelligent, and constructive manner, seeking reasonable compromises, in order to in a practical matter solve problems that need solving. Yes, I know, that sort of approach is in short supply these days. And it's sad. We are the losers as a result. Intelligence, knowledge, self discipline and temperament, so often matter more than anything else I have found as the decades have passed in my life. We need more healers, and fewer dividers.
ReplyDeleteSo yes, indeed, I would hope all would give Mr. Yandik a chance to make his case. Well said by unheimlich.