Media in the New Millennium

posted by Doyle

The headline is one of my favorite quotes, although it seems that there’s plenty of dispute over where it came from. Nevertheless, I think it was meant to be a positive thing to say to someone. At least I take it that way. Typically on this blog, I’d follow a headline like that with my new favorite piece of software, or new gadget, or praise for whatever Apple is up to today. I love that progress, and I love to follow it here.

Today, I’d like to talk about some different progress.

To be clear, this is not political endorsement of any kind. I really don’t see what I’m about to write as even political. Please take this as simply observation of what I believe to a society moving forward.

One of my most vivid memories of childhood was the rage I witnessed one night from my father, a normally level-headed guy (yes, this apple fell far from that tree!). He had just quit the local Elks Club, which is a big deal in a small midwestern town in the 1960s. He quit because the members refused to extend an invitation to join to a well-respected member of our community — a career police officer and the father of seven. He happened to be our neighbor, and I went through school with three of his kids. I had a crush on the older sister that babysat for me sometimes. They were my friends.

That family also happened to be Hispanic.

Other than that night, I don’t remember my father swearing or raising his voice often, if ever. He did that night. And to the best of my knowledge, he never stepped foot in that club again. He kept saying to my mother, “This man potentially risks his life for our security every day, and these narrow-minded bigots won’t let him eat dinner with them on a Friday night.”

He was right on every count.

Fast forward 40 years, and my son is eligible to vote for president for the first time. I was fascinated by the diversity of the choices he was presented with. There were plenty of white men, but the last three standing were a white man, a woman and a black man. To be clear, nothing should be determined because someone is or isn’t white, or black or female. However, it seems we’ve at least started to turn the corner to welcome the best and brightest from all of our society’s members to both participate and lead.

I’m reminded of the outstanding work Lucy Sanders is doing at the National Center for Women & Information Technology. In a nutshell (and, Lucy, I hope I get this right!), Lucy’s group is encouraging girls and young women to study subjects that can prepare them for careers in technology. We’re facing a labor shortage in many key 21st century industries that could be addressed by getting the other half of our population (read: women) to enter these fields in great numbers. It’s not affirmative action, it’s common sense.

That’s what I’ve enjoyed the most about this campaign (well, this and the ads — NOT!). We saw so many faces from so many segments of our society — yes, our society — we’ve not seen at this level before. I truly hope that no one votes or doesn’t vote for anyone because of gender, sexual preference, race or any other category. But at the end of the day, the larger our talent pool, the more talent we’ll find. And that’s a very, very good thing.

On Tuesday, America will not — in my humble opinion — choose between the white man and the black man, although many will still see it that way. But when I think of my son, who followed more candidates from more segments of our society than ever before in his very first election, this is now normal to him and his generation. And it should be normal. We need to cast the widest possible net to find the best and the brightest, wherever they might be.

So cast your vote for the next president, if you haven’t already. No matter who wins, we make history by electing a first — woman or minority. By the time my son’s kids vote, I hope we’ve crossed all the firsts and are simply electing the best and brightest person we can find.

Throughout this campaign, I’ve remembered what my father taught me that night 40 years ago, when he didn’t even know I was listening, and I wish he was here to see this. I don’t know who he would vote for, and it doesn’t matter.

He’d simply be pleased with the choices.

Vote, please. Add to mine or cancel it out. I don’t care. Just vote.