Tacoma City Councilwoman Marilyn Strickland recently had a chance to witness a miracle. 

 

The miracle took the form of thousands of people truly and utterly engaged in the political process — not for personal gain, a pet cause or to satisfy some mechanical sense of duty. No, at the recent Democratic National Convention in Denver, Washington state delegate Strickland saw what happens when people start to believe in political process again. 

Her experience provided her with a feeling worth carrying home — even sharing with her fellow Tacomans. 

“This was my first convention,” says Strickland. “It was really a celebration, and it was contagious. I swear I saw (political strategist) Donna Brazile dancing with (former Clinton advisor) Paul Begala. This was celebration about what’s good in America.”

 

Sitting on Tacoma City Council, Strickland is keenly aware of the power of politics, as well as its challenges. Nationally and locally, she says, many people have become disconnected, even apathetic about political process. 

Whether it’s justifiable disillusionment or all-too-fashionable cynicism, people don’t seem to expect much from politicians any more. 

But Strickland’s experience at the Convention told a different story. Hype and concern about a divided Democratic Party, for example, were dissolved by rousing speeches by Hillary Clinton — speeches that brought Strickland and many others to tears. Strickland also saw the most diverse group of people in the history of party conventions converge, celebrate and collaborate — something she considers truly glorious to have witnessed. 

“We had people from Zimbabwe, Korea, Iraq and Tacoma,” she says. “It was truly a cross section of America. I think the Democratic Party has always strived for that, but this was the first time I saw it in its full glory.” 

Therein lies the great lesson — that we cannot underestimate the power and courage of people who aren’t always invited to the table, she says. Strickland notes in particular the preponderance of bright, young, engaged people who came to Denver to represent their home towns, and their generation. Strickland says she was inspired by the youth who came to be part of a system that hasn’t always been welcoming to them. 

“I met a lot of young people who are very knowledgeable and capable,” she says. “I look at some of these (state and local) boards, and begin to think how great it would be to see more young people involved.”

We can’t underestimate the power and passion and courage of young people.” 

The young people Strickland encountered at the convention didn’t seem to be burdened with the creeping apathy that infects far too many voters. In fact, some of the young people Strickland met seemed downright inspired. Like Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, the young go-getters she met reminded her that passion, energy and the ability to inspire are just as important as bullet points on a candidate’s resume. 

At this point in the history of American democracy, with voters still split along party lines, the ability to inspire faith and hope in politics seems to be a unique and crucial qualification. 

That hope, says Strickland, was the gift presented to participants in the convention. It’s a gift, and a trend, that she hopes will begin to spread here at home. 

“I’m not even telling people who to vote for,” she says. “People just need to go and register. I want everyone to be a part of this. I think that one of the things that was so impressive (about the convention) was that it was something that people truly wanted to be part of. I hope that people who were watching at home said, ‘I wasn’t in Denver, but I want to be part of this.’” 

To read Strickland’s blog at the Democratic National Convention, go to weeklyvolcanospew.com and click politics in the tag cloud.