Weekly Opinion Editorial
GRASSROOTS IN POLITICS!
by Steve Fair
There is a great deal of talk about ‘grassroots’
in modern politics, but what exactly does the word mean? The
term ‘grassroots’ is actually a mining term that dates back to the 1870s, and
refers to the soil just beneath the ground’s surface. During the Gold
Rush, advertisers would often tell potential speculators that gold could be
found “at the grassroots” with the most basic of tools. ‘Grassroots’ came
to mean getting back to the basics.
The
term ‘grassroots’ in the political arena has Oklahoma origins. Adolphus Edward Perry, a Canadian by birth, served
as the Vice Chair of the Oklahoma Republican Party in 1907. Known as ‘Dynamite Ed' because he would toss
lighted sticks of dynamite from a moving train to call attention to his
political cause, Perry made a fortune in mining, real estate and agriculture in
the days before statehood. “'I am for a
square deal, grass root representation, for keeping close to the people,
against ring rule and for fair treatment,” Perry famously said when asked his political philosophy. To Perry ‘grassroots’ meant square dealing,
fair treatment and representation close to the people.
Every contemporary politician and
candidate (in both major Parties) claim they are from the ‘grassroots.’ They profess undying support of a ‘bottom up’
approach to government decision making and denounce those who support top down governing. They pledge to always listen to the people,
be accessible, available, reachable, approachable, and always have their door
open. But try and come through that open
door and see just how approachable that elected official really is after taking
office. Most employ gate-keepers and
staff charged with insuring that only certain people get through that ‘open
door’ and enforce the price of admission(contribution) to gain access.
There was a time when the term ‘grassroots’
meant those who labored in politics to educate their fellow citizens on the
issues. The ‘grassroots’ worked on campaigns
ran on a shoestring budget, and engaged in retail(face-to-face) politics. The ‘grassroots’ didn’t berate elected
officials who wouldn’t listen to them- they beat ‘em at the ballot box. Those ‘grassroots’ often lost, but they faithfully
continued on the path. They kept showing
up. They didn’t claim they were cheated
because they lost- they just rolled up their sleeves and kept working. Those ‘grassroots’ of yesteryear changed
Oklahoma. They turned Oklahoma from a
Democrat Party stronghold to a reliable Republican state.
Sadly, many of today’s self-proclaimed ‘grassroots’
believe they were cheated if they lose.
They work to censure elected leaders rather than conquer them. They unmercifully attack those who disagree
with them, and regularly engage in name-calling and nasty rhetoric. Like ‘Dynamite
Ed,’ they lob bombs to call attention to themselves and their cause (which is
always just). Disruption, disrespect, and
situational ethics are regularly used tactics, but always with an appropriate
scripture reference.
Ed Perry filed to run for Lt. Governor in
Oklahoma in 1926, but withdrew because the state wouldn’t let him appear on the
ballot as ‘Dynamite’ Ed Perry. Today,
Perry is a footnote in Oklahoma history in spite of his bomb throwing. That will be the fate of the bomb throwing modern
‘grassroots’ movement because it is ego and not ethic driven.
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