Politics, a very interesting game. I was once into politics, yes, I know you won't believe it but it is very true. Howbeit, it was at the Junior high and High School levels. Now don't degrade it anyway, you see as long as involves a position vied for, some campaigning and votes being cast then it still is politics,. Ok? The level doesn't matter.
Now, haven been voted in, we had to organize a program that was going to benefit our class and school in general. We had a rainbow of ideas and how to go about putting these ideas to work. We had a collective purpose; benefit for our class and the school in particular.
There however was a problem. Well, it was not that the ideas we had were bad. I guess the underlying problem was "to whom would the success of the implementation of the idea be ascribed?" Now, as with everything in politics, there were camps and as with any well developed political process, there were two camps making things relatively easy for us.
I happened to be in the group that was labelled "the opposition" and we did everything to make sure that we were heard. If someone put forth an idea but did not frame the presentation properly, we would out-rightly reject the proposition, now not because anything was wrong with the idea but because the presentation was faulty and this is something that we could have addressed and then overlooked whilst of course accepting the idea. No we did not !.
Eventually, the leadership of the ruling group was toppled, snap elections were called and here I was in power. I sat down one day with a few colleagues in my group to discuss a comment made by the out gone leader. She had said, "you people are very funny, you don't seem to think at all. You vote against any idea that doesn't come from your group, you vote against anything that is not well presented and you vote against these ideas knowing fully well that they are not just good ideas but beneficial to our class and school. You vote against everything without thinking, "just because you are called the opposition"!
That lady had a point. I told my colleagues that we all strove for that office because we believed sincerely in our hearts that we had something good to offer our class and school and hence we needed to think of a way to ensure that collectively we achieved greatness for our class and school rather than one group trying to take kudos.
Well, my idea was simple. We had another program and as usual, we needed to to put forth ideas, debate and then vote. The process took its course, like my group, the other group had some equally sound ideas.
Upon calculation and investigation, the plan from the other group was going to cost us the same thing as our own plan. My idea was to go with the plan of the opposition.
My colleagues were in shock but here is what happened; at the end of the program we made known that the plan from the opposition group had a price tally equal to our plan, had the same or similar aim and purpose and was therefore fit for adoption for the sake of peace, understanding and comradeship.
The plaque read; "Just because they are the opposition doesn't mean that their ideas are worthless. Just because we are the opposition doesn't mean that we must always vote against, even when the idea is SOUND. We adopted the plan of the opposition not because it was better or cheaper but because we understand that we have only ONE common goal which is the advancement of our class and School" and hence it matters not whose ideas we adopt as long as the common goal is achieved.
The Opposition has always had a voice since then and of course things have worked better and faster and for the common goal. There is Unity in that school and the politics is CLEAN and meaningful.
Being the opposition party shouldn't translate to or imply "voting AGAINST EVERYTHING" the ruling party proposes. You have the same goal but see things in different lights. Try to debate the issues, make them clearer, less confusing and be more open minded and tolerating.
Just because you are the opposition doesn't mean you are RIGHT or that your ideas are or would always be better. Sometimes the opposition votes NO even when they have the same or similar idea. I call this kind of an opposition party or group CONFUSED.