People power vs. celebrity politics
Celebrity permeates every pore of American culture. Even our civic understanding and the subsequent responsibilities that are attached to citizenship have been negatively affected by the cult of personality.
During our most recent presidential campaign in 2008, Barack Obama’s star was launched into the stratosphere. Young (as politicians go), charismatic, and comfortable in front of crowds, his ascension to America’s leadership zenith had as much to do with Obama’s personal magnetism, as any policy statement, or position that he took to differentiate himself from the other candidates, first during the primary season, and then, finally, during the presidential horserace.
The president just concluded his speech in Portland, in front of an adoring throng, packed into the Portland Expo building. For those fortunate to score a ticket by standing in line, it provided a brush, and the chance to be in proximity to political power. I couldn’t help noticing as I watched on TV, some of Maine’s well connected set on the Democratic side, like Peggy Rotundo and Margaret Craven—did they have to stand in the rain for their tickets? The governor certainly didn’t. An outspoken critic of Mr. Obama, WGAN’s Mike Violette was granted a ticket by Congressman Pingree, after guesting on the Ken and Mike program this morning.
Juxtaposed against the hoopla of the president’s Maine appearance is my personal belief that real change comes from people, usually unknowns and far from the media spotlight. This was reinforced for me last night, as my wife and I watched Neighbor By Neighbor: Mobilizing an Invisible Community in Lewiston, Maine. This local documentary tells the story of a group of downtown Lewiston residents, most of them poor, standing up against the city, and a project called “The Heritage Initiative,” which would have displaced 850 residents from their homes, to build a four-lane boulevard through the heart of downtown.
The group, which goes by the name of Visible Community, took responsibility for their own situation and refused to be cowed by the city, and attempts by political leaders to “clean up” the downtown neighborhoods, and jam a development plan through with little or no public input.
Instead, the 98 minute documentary highlights that when individuals band together, united around a common purpose, they empower themselves. Better, instead of becoming victims of the political process, the Visible Community created their own democratic process, one that’s worked countless times, but often is airbrushed from the political debate by corporate media types, and is often absent in traditional accounts of American history.
It’s ironic that Mr. Obama once was a community organizer, leading local empowerment efforts similar to this one in Lewiston. I was reminded listening to him that all of us need to remain mindful of how voting for national, and even state leaders often results in disappointment. On the other hand, I know from my own personal experiences, as someone with a grassroots organizing background that people-powered initiatives are often the most satisfying, and are responsible for much of the positive social change that’s happened in this country.
