Reflections on 8 years in public service
...gion Column Hawaii Filipino Chronicle “A Patron Saint for Politicians?” By David Pendleton With the local, state, and national elections fast approaching, campaigning is in full swing. Volunteers line the streets waving signs, candidates are knocking on doors, and brochures are keeping all the bulk mail houses busy. By the time you read this article, we will have all voted and participated in democracy. And I may or may not still be in the Legislature. So let me share a few thoughts on the entire election process. Right now, as I write this column, we are days from the election. And I am bone tired. I’m “flying on fumes” and have just enough energy to last until November 2nd. Like other candidates, I have been waving signs, knocking on doors, and making phone calls each and every day. I have had to deflect attack advertisements and have had to replace defaced or stolen yard signs nearly every day. All in a days work for a candidate standing for election. The other day my car was keyed, I was chased by, and had to jump over a gate to avoid being eaten by, a large dog, and I had a few motorists wave inappropriate gestures at my sign wavers during the afternoon commute. To say this is hard work is an understatement. In fact, I recall a constituent who loaned me his umbrella after I got caught in the rain while knocking on doors. After thanking him for the umbrella, he jokingly replied, “David, there ought to be a law mandating that all campaigning take place on the Internet so that candidates and their volunteers do not have to deal with the vicious dogs and inclement weather.” I just waved by as I headed on to the next house. I don’t know about campaigning only on the Internet. I think there is merit to having us candidates out in the neighborhoods. It helps me do my job better because there is no conversation like a face to face conversation. So perhaps not a law. But all things considered, we sure could use a patron saint. At least a role model. I read the other day that the Roman Catholic Church named Thomas More as the patron saint of politicians. While I’m not Catholic, and I have not been able to confirm this, this man can serve as an inspiration to me. It was apparently some time ago that Pope John Paul II named Thomas More (1477-1535) as the patron saint for politicians, making him a role model “for all those who consider their political commitment as a choice of life." More was a gifted lawyer renown for his high ethical standards. He was also the author of the satire Utopia. Yet More is most often remembered for opposing King Henry VIII's using his marital problems to create a new Church denomination in order to secure an annulment (divorce) which had been previously denied by the Pope. More objected indicating that no annulment could be granted. The mere fact that the current queen did not bear an heir was legally and morally insufficient to merit the Pope granting an annulment. And More objected to the King’s creation of a new church simply to suit his purposes. Most of his colleagues simply deferred to the King’s wishes. Better to accede to his demands, however unreasonable, than to risk drawing down his wrath. But More would have none of it. He stood steadfast. And he was later imprisoned and executed for his supposed treason. What was his treason? Merely standing on principle against the king. Today we take for granted that we are a nation ruled by laws and not men. We think nothing of having laws above people and holding all people, including our elected leaders, to the same standards required by the law. But not long ago kings were seen as above the law. They could violate it at will and without impunity. In recent times, Thomas More’s stand has been used to epitomize the importance and primacy o...