Ten-Minute Tuesday

Today, I stepped out of my comfort zone and joined a group of concerned citizens—moms, dads, students—advocating for common sense gun legislation at the state capitol. As I walked with my group toward the capitol steps, I thought about the freezing cold day in eighth grade when I was a page at the Kansas State Capitol in Topeka. It didn’t spark political aspirations. I wish it had helped me better understand my role as a citizen in a democracy and the need to be in communication and conversation with my elected officials on a regular basis. We had productive and respectful conversations with one legislator and others’ staff members. We directed them to statistics in our materials, and heard several times, Oh, I didn’t know that. Our group leader asked, What do you understand about this bill? It reminded me of Brené Brown’s Rumble Language, the phrases she suggests we use to enter into what may be contentious conversations with curiosity, openness, and an emphasis on gaining greater understanding. I watched how one member of our group naturally linked her family’s gun ownership with a common desire to keep every member of our community safe. She was calm and warm and firm. By the end of the day, I felt a renewed sense of hope and an interest in growing more politically active.