To my dearest readers who I both know at the moment and who I will come to meet in the future: I am proud to present to you my newest project built on the ideals I hold dear to my heart as I navigate an area of my life which has come to be my greatest burden and my greatest honor.
I dream of becoming many things: a reporter on Capitol Hill, an environmental policy analyst, an environmental lawyer, an author, an educator, a journalist, or maybe even just the person in charge of a political website that publishes essays. Regardless, my life will forever be controlled by one driving force - the world of American politics in all its glory, both distinguished and obscure, dignified and undignified.
At the time you are reading this, I will have reached six months and twenty-six days into my pursuit of a bachelor’s degree in political science. This endeavor, I admit, started out as a joke--something I would do for the sole purpose of becoming the president. But, as I’ve had the opportunity to become enthralled in the world of politics, I’ve learned that it is so much more than just running for office or assuming power.
Throughout the past six months, I have read my fair share of essays from political journalists and writings from the most highly respected political figures of yesterday, today, and tomorrow. All this learning has helped me find many things I am passionate about, but it has also taught me that while many will seek to use politics as a form of self-gain, those who go down in history as heroes, scholars, and just plain good people have used the unique platforms, offices, and venues of politics to accomplish some of the most altruistic goals in a variety of ways. These goals include bringing forth unity in times of division and bringing forth changes that help other people when support looks to be too hard to provide.
To those of you that know me well, I can almost guarantee that you have come to witness just how passionate I can get about politics. While this passion has led me to many great things, it has also brought me many bad things. From participating in online discussions that have reached over 100 responses, to comment wars on Facebook and other social media sites, I have done my best to make my voice heard. While this may not seem like a really big deal to anyone reading this, I must admit that it has brought on more regret in myself than I ever could’ve imagined.
Many aspects of our personalities have been with us since birth. One aspect of my personality is putting my own needs before others; another aspect is walking around like I have a chip on my shoulder. I’ve always been what some would call a smart-ass and have had a knack for arguing with others just to argue with them. Politics are very debatable, no matter what is being discussed.
However, when I think about politics and some of my words and actions when carrying out my discussions of politics, a quote comes to mind:
“I’d like to see our politics begin to return to the purposes and practices that distinguish our history from the history of other nations. I would like to see us recover from our sense that we are more alike than different. We are citizens of a republic made of shared ideals forged in a new world to replace the tribal enmities that tormented the old one.”
This quote is not taken from one of the many liberal politicians I look to for inspiration; it’s from a Republican I never would’ve supported as president. In fact, my favorite president of all time beat this man in a presidential election. However, for his character throughout the 2008 campaign and his unforgettable service to America, John McCain is a great example of what all politicians should aspire to be when faced with ideals and ideas that do not necessarily align with their own.
Pairing Senator McCain’s quote with the thinking I was able to do between November 8, 2020, and January 1, 2021--a period of time in which I forced myself to lay off social media and end commenting on any post that was political--I’ve been able to gain great solace and gratitude relating to the work I plan on doing in the future.
While many of the people I spent time arguing with are people who I would say do not deserve my apologies or forgiveness based on their rhetoric and opinions towards human rights, I must take the time to acknowledge my own personal issues and wrongdoings. I would have my times of sharing and pushing forth facts and the truth, yet there were plenty of times I relied on insults and downright disrespect to answer questions I didn’t know the answer to and just to have a quick jab at someone. Eventually, partaking in these practices became a daily routine. I spent hours on my phone and computer typing away just to argue with someone, even allowing it to cut into my time at work when I’d run to the breakroom to add nothing but fluff to the arguments.
I can’t say that it has been easy trying to get rid of this habit or urge as I still find myself on the verge of debating in the worst of ways on many different platforms, but if I do not at least attempt to work on fixing my apparent need to argue for the sake of arguing, it would be in the best interest of myself and everyone else for me to find a new career path. If I would be spending my life serving this need rather than fighting for the people who truly matter on issues that I am passionate about bringing forth change for, I would have wasted my life.
It is my firm belief that what Senator McCain and all my biggest political influences (perhaps besides the characterized version of Hamilton in Hamilton: An American Musical) would want me to do in a life of politics, whether in possession of a public office or on the national stage or not, would be to put my best foot forward and do my best to unify those around me.
My country is in a bit of a predicament. While I just witnessed the swearing-in of a new president that seeks to uphold America's greatest ideals to the fullest extent, a good piece of character both myself and millions like me can say they've missed for four years, with a new vice president who has many firsts herself holding such a high office, issues like racism, white nationalism, climate change denial, and conspiracy theories are still very much prevalent in this country. Although I do not believe there is any actual chance of American civil war on a scale as large as the first, what I believe to be the feelings and emotions leading up to the Civil War are similar to many feelings and emotions today.
The sense of division in America is far greater than so many of us have ever felt before. Yet, in this era of division, the hearts and courage of those seeking to unify, bring forth significant change beneficial for all, and listen to facts over fiction will forever have a stronger voice than those who do not. It is my firm belief that we are not Democrats, and we are not Republicans. We are Americans. We are unified under the propositions put forth by our founders so many years ago that have enabled and will continue to enable us to shape our way into the future and, most importantly, stay as one nation, under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all.
Now, in this message of unity, I am not saying we should all go about life perfectly comfortable with ideas and character that harms others. We still need to have debates. We still need to have honest, hard discussions--but we need to do these things while putting our best foot forward.
So, I hope this new proclamation I have laid forth regarding the requests I have for myself and those of you reading brings all of us both personal guidance and perhaps a new set of rules to follow. I don't want to have petty arguments anymore, and while I will undoubtedly joke about certain political figures I disagree with as we all do at times, I now seek to live my life earnestly reaching out to others, whether they be in my neck of the woods or across the nation in a place I've yet to visit, in hopes that I will be able to educate and inspire them to learn and live life by the same principles.
I created this website to do just that.
On this website, I will dedicate my time to explaining many topics by researching as much as I can and using good, reliable resources to conduct that research. On this website, you will find me publishing new essays every Monday and Thursday that cover topics like my personal feelings and opinions towards issues, how our government works, the importance of environmental protection, stories about historical events and figures both good and bad, stories about influential leaders of today and tomorrow, and corrupt policies and ideals we should all seek to avoid.
I must admit that that is a lot, and I have no real idea what will become of this website and my mission to educate others when all is said and done, but I do know one thing: when my team and I work on and publish these essays, we know that some moments will be hard. We will undoubtedly face opposition, and, in this day and age, we may face a lot more than we can handle. But, if just one person can learn something new from this website and be inspired to learn more or share what they've learned with their friends and family, our mission will be complete.
On January 20, 2021, a 22-year-old named Amanda Gorman became the youngest inaugural poet in history. At this moment, people all over America are still reveling in her words and message. In 2016, I discovered Hamilton: An American Musical, and for five years, I've been looking for a piece of art that comes anywhere near its level of exquisite craftsmanship as it--Gorman definitely reached it.
"And yet, the dawn is ours before we knew it. Somehow we do it.
Somehow we weathered and witnessed a nation that isn't broken,
but simply unfinished."
Amanda Gorman speaks words of truth through her stanzas, and that's exactly what our country needs right now. It's time to get America back on track, and it's time to finish what we started, or, at the very least, add another piece to the puzzle so often discarded.
I don't expect everyone to agree with everything I say, but this is how I add my puzzle piece. I hope you'll join my team and me on a journey that will at times be rough but has a destination that's worth it.
But, before I go, though, I want to end this with four promises:
1) I promise to always share stories that do not seek to glorify politicians or policies but are instead accounts and ideas that I think are the best to share in our nation's time of need.
2) I promise to do my best, even when it is challenging, to look at both sides of the story when discussing issues.
3) I promise to always put my best foot forward when discussing any and all topics on this website.
4) I promise to be honest about everything I share, personal and opinion, and uphold a facts-first policy on this website.
Facts need to come first, because honesty brings out the most change and the best change. And change brings healing from the issues that hurt us most.
"This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge. And unity is the path forward.
And we must meet this moment as the United States of America.
If we do that, I guarantee you we will not fail.
We have never, ever, ever, ever failed in America when we've acted together."
- Joe Biden
And with that, let me introduce myself.
My name is Vinny Demme, and I will be your host on The Vinny Demme Portfolio.
I hope you enjoy and learn from what we have to share with you.
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