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Miss President

19 · Jan · 2001

I once wanted to be President of the United States. Its true - just ask my best friend Stephanie Butterfield or Cleo Phillips, my 7th grade US Civics teacher.

Big plans to change the world! BIG plans. I figured I'd go to the University of Oklahoma, pledge some over-rated sorority, graduate, go on to law school, open a private practice in criminal law, and run for a seat on the Oklahoma City Council. I didn’t think it'd be so hard, you know. Talk a good talk, live clean; serve up Truth, Justice and the American Way on a silver platter. I wanted to give the country something to believe in, something to smile about.

The year was 1983. Ronald Reagan was in the White House and people were talking about nuclear war like it was a scheduled event that we must attend. My family was still living in suburbia. Everyone around us appeared to be cracking up, but I still went to bed every night feeling pretty lucky that everybody in our house still had the same last name. That was the last year of the Grand Illusion.

The following year I got a D in Pre-Algebra, my parents split up and my 17-year-old brother married his pregnant girlfriend. Can you flunk out of math and still get elected President? I wasn’t sure, but it definitely made me consider some alternative career paths. The next thing I knew I had my radio tuned to "American Top 40" with Casey Kasem every weekend, trying to figure out the easiest way to go on tour with a rock band. My friend Yuki Bisby was giving me her leftover Rolling Stone magazines so I cut out a picture of Sting and taped it on my closet door. He and Bob Geldof were my new role models.

There may not seem to be a correlation between President of the USA and the Robin Hood rebellion of Sting. But think again. All I ever wanted to do was serve.

When I realised that I wasn’t exactly the best student in high school, (whether it was boredom or lack of intelligence we’ll never know) I looked for something I was good at - something that did speak to me. I was drawn to the certain bands because of their popularity, yes. But I kept listening because some of those lyrics were packed full of wisdom and encouragement. Not to mention that compassion was slowly becoming the new form of rebellion for many artists.

You may remember that in 1985 Bob Geldof, former lead singer of the UK band the Boomtown Rats, hosted the largest benefit rock show in history, Live Aide. His organisation, USA for Africa raised eyebrows and awareness of our starving friends over the sea. So appreciated was his work that he was knighted by the Queen of England. And Sting, former teacher and frontman of the Police, branched out as well. Over the years, he has become known as one of the music business most visible human rights activists. He was recently honored by the Chilean government for speaking out for the victims of Gen. Augusto Pinochet's 1973-1990 dictatorship. This was the inspiration behind his song "They Dance Alone".

Good things are accomplished in many ways. You might think you are going to raise your child to be a Senator or the next Paul McCartney, but I suspect the only real influence we have on children is the values they see in us - what we do in our daily lives.

My father served in the US Air Force throughout my childhood and my full time, working mother volunteered in community programs as well. They sent a clear message to my brother, sister and I that we are all quite capable of lending a hand and that lending a hand is a Great Thing.

Many of you spend a great deal of time and energy in service. Whether you are running in that charity marathon, sending encouraging letters to a wayward artist, speaking at local middle schools, or living every day in Foreign Service - on behalf of the recipients of your generosity, Thank You.

I still think love is the answer to everything. There’s a whole lot of love inside me where a lot of law and political correctness used to be.

If you have thought of doing some volunteer work, but haven’t because you don’t feel you have the time, let me take this opportunity to remind you - You will have even less time next year. And if you have an idea to fill a need in your community, country, or world, but can’t seem to find the group who’s doing it - May I suggest you consider a new title for yourself this year - "Founder of (insert charitable organisation here)"
Why not? You’re perfectly capable of Great Things.


Penny Rene

Posted by Penny Rene at January 19, 2001 05:06 PM