It’s what makes this country so cool

May 2, 2018 by Ken Leinart

So.

I have a mini history lesson.

None of it is relevant to this election cycle’s goings on.

It will be brief.

In 1995 I think there were two elected county offices under

the Republican banner.

If you have a better word, let me know.

Patsy Stair Lomeli was Anderson County Trustee. Scott Manning was Anderson County Sheriff. Republicans.

The late Dr. Gene Caldwell was elected before I came to Clinton.

I believe he was a Democrat.

But you know what? I may be wrong.

Jim Hackworth followed Dr. Caldwell.

Democrat.

See, I’m not a political monkey. I don’t see parties as much

as I see people.

And I don’t know about “ascension” and such stuff.

I like people regardless of their party.

That’s just me.

When I first started in this business there was a lot of political about U.S. Rep. Marilyn Lloyd leaving office and a young man by the name of Zach Wamp trying to fill her seat.

I have this one story about Mr. Wamp I like to tell.

When the City of Clinton was in the early stages of converting the Green McAdoo School to the Green McAdoo Cultural Center Mr. Wamp came to town to tour the grounds.

I arrived to take a few photos, do a story, a piece to let people know that renovating Green McAdoo School was really going to happen, that people were serious about the project.

I was wearing khakis and pink polo shirt.

Very bright pink.

How bright? How pink?

“That’s a bright pink shirt there,” Mr. Wamp said to me when

we shook hands.

That’s it.

That’s my Zach Wamp story.

He was a Republican, too.

Great guy, by the way.

Politics is a funny animal, isn’t it.

Anyway...

It’s not been too long ago that Democrats kinda held sway in

Anderson County.

Of course I don’t think in those terms.

It’s not been too long ago that a bunch of people entrusted to

govern in this county were Democrats.

And that may happen again someday. Maybe we won’t see

them as Democrats or Republicans, but as good people.

But it’s been long enough since that has happened that my

children were ... Well, just that, children. Toddlers even.

Now my children are all grown up and are making lives for

themselves and will vote for who they see fit.

I may not agree with their ballot, but that’s okay. That’s what

makes this country kinda cool. We can agree to disagree and at the end of the day we’re still Americans. Still family.

Like me, they voted on this election day. I hope you did, too.