I'm sorry, I don't have time for democracy

So this afternoon, after a brain draining day of writing curriculum, my wife asks me to run to the store and buy some pasta for dinner. First of all, I believe it is a genuine crime as an Italian to actually run out of said staple of my people's diet. But hey, she's only half Italian. I digress.

So I get out of my car at our local grocery store. I notice that there is a lady out front gathering signatures to get the latest proposition du jour on the ballot. We'll call her Ballot Initiative Lady. She is harassing, er, uh, I mean talkling with another patron as I run by her and into the store. Safe!

I do my shopping, pick up the pasta and some bread (I'm Italian, we don't do low carb), and pay for my purchases. On my way out the door, I see Ballot Initiative Lady. I know she is going to ask me to sign her ballot thingy. I don't have time for this. My wife needs me home, the baby was crying when I left, my son wanted to go for a bike ride and I'm so hungry I can feel my stomach shrinking to the size of a gnat's eyeball.

What do I do?
I'm not the kind of person who can just sign one of those thingies without asking several questions first. Everytime I sign, and I swear, I always stop, I'm usually with the person for awhile. Our conversations usually last longer than most Jennifer Lopez marriages. But I don't have the time today.

What do I do?

You know what I did.

I exited the door and Ballot Intiative Lady, who by the way was very nice, asked if she could speak with me. I said 'no thank you' and kept walking. I just kept walking. I got into my middle class four door sub-compact family vehicle and drove away to my middle class suburban tract house and gorged myself on dinner.

I am always preaching to my students that nothing about our government will change unless citizens stop bitching and actively participate.

And I just kept walking.

I suck. There I was, I had an opportunity to be part of the process and I literally said 'no thank you'. Especially here in California where we treasure the initiative process as the ultimate in voters taking charge of their political destiny. If you are governor, and screw things up we'll recall you three years early and replace you with the Governator. Sure it sounds ridiculous, but that is pure democracy baby.

And I just kept walking.

Next time someone like Ballot Initiative Lady approaches you, at least give them the time of day. I know I will.

Peace and good health to all.