Short term “pain” for long term gain?

(Contributed by Ryan Rhoten) If you had to choose between the two, sports or politics, which would you choose?  No doubt politics can be painful and sports bring an immediate rush. Tonight many of you will make a choice between the two. Which will you choose?

Before you answer consider this, they both cost you money, ticket fees and property taxes, and they both have two primary sides, home and away or Democrat and Republican (yes, I know there are independents and Libertarians but note I said primary). Another thing to consider is the emotions that are involved between the two.  Don’t believe me. Watch the crowd at a sporting event and compare them to the crowd at the next “State of the Union” address.  Or better yet bring up the two subjects at Christmas dinner, then sit back and watch the carnage ensue.

Emotions play a big part in both sports and politics that is why both cater to them.  A good sports team knows that the more you “care” about the team, the more money you will be willing to shell out (jerseys, hats, foam fingers, etc.).  The same is true for a good political movement.  The difference however is that with politics you may end up shelling out more money whether you are willing to or not.  We lose a sporting event and we are affected for a few hours or maybe a few days for some.  We lose a political event such as an election and we are all affected for years.

I think that we have forgotten over time that we the people have a voice in politics.  Unfortunately we have chosen to remain silent far too many times.  We now have an opportunity to hear our fellow citizens and let our voices be heard as well.  What will you chose?  Too often we vote quietly and then complain about the result.  However, we live in a country where we can chose to meld sports and politics into one.  Think about what we could accomplish if we put as much effort into politics as we do our favorite sports teams.

I have been approached by many in our community who have asked me, “Should I go to these re-organization meetings?”  Like most, I learned later in life the similarities and differences between sports and politics and the importance of choosing between the two.  There are many things at stake for WRT right now, property taxes being just one of them.  Yes, you should go and yes you need to get involved.

Many of the meetings I have attended over the last year and half have had attendees who claim to be life long residents or who moved here over 30 – 40 years ago.  My question to those who read this, where are the residents who have lived here for 5 to 15 years?  You folks have an equal say and just as much at stake as those life long residents.  My guess is that many of you have chosen sports.

What does this have to do with anything?  I write this because we today we have a choice; sports or politics.  Tonight the Center Grove basketball team will play the #1 ranked basketball team in the state.  At the same time, in the same building (across the hall), the White River Township board will meet to discuss the plans for re-organization with Greenwood.  As you walk in the doors and head down the hall which choice will you make?  Turn right and go to the auditorium where you can participate in discussions about your future property taxes or turn left and watch a basketball game?

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