Politics!

Once upon a time, I was pretty active in politics. Blame it on my environment maybe. I was a student at UC Berkeley and got caught up in some of the idealism. I became president of my housing association, became involved in a number of clubs, ran for local office and served on a few boards and commissions. A local paper called me the "dynamic voice" of the student community. Sometimes being a student felt like my side job!

Fast forward several years into my post college life and there’s very little politics in my life. There are no campaign posters with my face on them. I no longer walk precincts for my favorite candidates. The most controversial group I belong to is my local Kiwanis club, which is about as controversial as stopping at a red light. Some would argue that my work is political, but they’d be wrong. I may beat the system from time to time, but it’s on behalf of a single person’s rights- my client at the time. My cases aren’t crusades. They are about protecting my client’s rights in the face of whatever opposition, be it the DA’s office, Immigration…or just an unreasonable ex-spouse!

And, yet, sometimes I miss working for the larger cause. I wish I could find time to picket against something or walk a precinct. One of my favorite politicians, Mary Salas- whose first campaign I volunteered for when I was a student, lost her race by a handful of votes. I know that I could have made a difference in her campaign- if only by marshaling my many contacts in Imperial County to turn out her support. A good volunteer is worth a swing of a few hundred votes. I felt a twinge of guilt when she lost, but I told myself that I was honestly too busy with building my law practice to give a good effort on her behalf.

Life always seems to get in the way of my politics. The other day I almost went to meeting to organize against the Arizona immigration action, but I ended up at the gym instead. Leading the fight against my expanding waistline! And I mean to contribute money to help out someday, but most of pennies seem to have bills waiting for them.

I honestly don’t know when I’ll get involved again, but I admire and appreciate people like my niece Gloria (who fought against the closure of the Chula Vista nature center) and my cousin Cecilia (who is a big time activist in LA). Who knows, maybe someday soon I’ll be walking the picket line with them.

Viva la Causa! Just let me know which one…