Don't let the title confuse you... I'm no pro basketball player, nor am I a farmer. I was born in Brooklyn, NY, and raised in suburbs of NYC (Nausau County, Long Island) and Philadelphia (Lower Bucks County, PA). My family and friends were liberal thinkers and supported socially Democratic values. I'm here now, obviously writing in support of those values and Obama, with an idea that might get us beyond 'preaching to the choir'... just going on and on to our fellow Democrats... maybe not the best use our good time and energy.
Although I'm no farmer, growing up suburban in my Bucks County of the 50s and 60s, put me down the road from a few cornfields. I watched how corn was harvested... stalk by stalk, and ear by ear.
Let me play with a few metaphors, and first ask you, a fellow Democrat, to consider the Fall 'harvest' ahead... not as corn and combines, but as Republicans and an election.
Let me also use basketball... not my best game. I'd really rather be 'in left,' on a baseball field, stealing long home run balls hit by hot shot batters, or better, in my own back yard, laughing as my 17 year old son Ben kills me at ping pong. Anyways, I'll play with a basketball term... 'man to man.' If you don't know, it just means each player on Team A picks one player on Team B to 'cover,' and sticks to him like glue, man to man, through the whole game. It's a type of defense, and I suggest we consider using it for our friends, the Republicans.
Yep, our friends, and I'll choose Chuck, man to man, as he's my Republican buddy. Chuck is a real person, and we met as Boy Scout dads five years ago, when our sons started in the same West LA troop.
By background, Chuck and I are far apart, but by heart, we're just a couple of jokers who love making the other guy laugh. Chuck grew up in Ohio, a fair-haired, mid-Western Christian, guided by traditional, conservative Republican values. Now, as a top facilities manager, Chuck has built seniority with a multi-national aerospace company which profits from substantial military contracts, some of which are probably related to the Iraq War. Alternately, I was raised in a east coast Jewish family, taught that culture to my own kids, and have owned a small, personal service business for twenty years in the predominantly liberal and Democratic movie industry.
Man to man, ear by ear, I am committing to bringing Chuck to a Democratic vote for Obama in November. As Chuck will admit, around the water cooler at his (aerospace) company, opposing the Irag War or the Republican Party line, is 'biting the hand that feeds you.'
However, I know that when Chuck goes into the voting booth and pulls the curtain, it will be only his eyes on his hand on the machine. When he gets back to the office, his vote will be his business, and his alone, to share or not at the water cooler.
Maybe, you will consider joining into this game, getting onto the court, man to man, ear by ear, one Republican at a time.
Please pick a friend... I'll cover Chuck.