Columns

Ed. note: These endorsements reflect the views of Mike DiGiuro. They are not the views or endorsements of the Oldham Era or its staff.

One of the best things about being an “opinionist” is that I get to tell people what I think. On the other hand, it’s easy to offer an opinion, and I appreciate that even the most abject failure in a campaign for public office is more courageous than I. That being said, here are my thoughts on the primary election coming up on May 20. My conclusions are based on conversations and responses from most of the candidates.

When my sisters and I were growing up, my mom saw only two possible life paths for us. We were either going to be bank robbers or achieve something significant that would get us invited to the White House. There was no average life on the agenda for me. I was going to jail or having dinner with the President. (Note: In those days, moms hadn’t yet learned to say to their little girls, “Someday you could be President.” The pinnacle of a girl’s achievement was simply being invited to dinner with him.)

How many times in any given day do you meet a jerk? Some people seem to go out of their way to be difficult, demanding, conflict-oriented, hostile or even obnoxious. How many seem to be such poor listeners that you wonder if you’re being heard at all? Some individuals even get a thrill out of threatening people with frivolous lawsuits.

Through the years I have visited many patients in hospitals. Often I have asked a patient the question, “Since you have been sick, what have people said to you?” And frequently I get one of three answers:

1. The patient is told that there is something in his or her life which is displeasing to God. “In some way you have broken God’s law, and now, through this illness, God is telling you something.”