Admiration and gratitude
Last week I had the privilege of working for Latah County as a poll worker for the midterm elections. I admit, doing this for the first time, that I had apprehensions. I decided that at this crucial moment it was important to participate in the democratic process that has sustained this country for more than two centuries. I am so glad I made this decision.
I learned so much by being a part of it. And I cannot sufficiently express my admiration and gratitude for the incredible knowledge and dedication of the staff of the Latah County Clerk’s office. They were tireless and so supportive. At the end of the 14-hour day-shift, they were actually cheerful about potentially spending the rest of the night and whatever it would take the next day until the results were correctly tallied and reflected the will of the citizens of Latah County. The checks, double checks, triple checks in the system to “get it right” were solid and reassuring. The dedication and seriousness of the team “making sure” was enlightening. Latah is in good hands.
I think what I will remember the most was the number of utter strangers who said thank you to us as they picked up their “I voted” stickers upon leaving. And our being able to genuinely say “thank you for voting” in return. It matters.
Louise Davison
Moscow
The idea of masculinity
In a recent column titled “The Crisis of Masculinity,” Ryan Urie compares men unfavorably. He describes men as (I paraphrase for brevity) short-lived, alcoholic, drug-addicted, diseased, suicidal, accident prone, desperate, hopeless, lonely, privileged, casually cruel, juvenile, toxic, inauthentic, dishonest, unbold, unassertive, abandoned, unmentored, violent, shamed, murderous, raping, child-abusing, wife-beating, criminal, patriarchal, harmful, toxic, grandiose, self-absorbed, resentful, immature, gun-waving, seditious, damaged, lonely, alienated, desperate, selfish, insecure and trivially masculine. I have repeated toxic, but I will leave it, as it appears three times.
After unselling us on masculinity, Mr. Urie suggests a “nurturing, confident, life-affirming masculinity” as a solution. But aren’t these mostly just issues of individual character, good or bad, with masculinity being neither here nor there?
Andy Crites
Moscow
