Young - Old - Young Again
I used to admire the elderly. Oh in many ways I still do. I value their insight and their perspective. I marvel at the world they have known in their lives and how it has changed. How they survived the hard times and prospered. How some just survived. Politics however has given me a different perspective. It is a much uglier perspective and not one easily spoken of. The truly elderly are the most remarkable in my mind. Those that have retained their minds in a late state of age. My father recently regaled me with a tale of my grandmother's first political contribution. She was shy to give, 10 dollars was all she could afford and she was afraid it would mean nothing. A visiting campaign worker canvassing for a local city council candidate was present and my father interceded. "Would ten dollars help?" he asked. "Oh yes!" she replied. "It takes six dollars to buy a t-shirt." "Six dollars!" my 93 year old grandmother excla