You have them. Heck, even I have them. I'm talking about trigger words.
These are words or phrases we have created in our minds that let us quickly categorize and, rightly or wrongly, stereotype things.
I first became acutely aware of this phenomenon almost eight years ago during my first serious political campaign. I would be knocking on doors and chatting people up and more often than not I had the distinct feeling that they were listening and waiting.
Sure enough their expressions would change however slightly, and they'd decide right there that I was one of "those people."
Sure some would dig a little deeper, but mostly people heard what they were looking for and moved on with me gaining or losing a vote accordingly.
Another fun fact is that once a key word has been triggered, it could take years for the effects to wear off. For instance there are many people who still think they know me and judge me by columns I wrote that ticked them off almost a decade ago.
This is the reason why I was seriously (albeit, briefly) considering stopping my newsletter and even writing these council corners. Sure they're great for communicating but politically, they're not the smartest things to do.
But I didn't get this far in the town I love by not speaking my mind.
Truth is, it doesn't matter what any of us do or say as long as you're true to yourself you can't go very wrong.
And while sometimes I feel like I'm beating my head against a very old wall, I know that I'm doing the best I can so that my kids can be proud of the town they live in. And that's not something that's done quietly.
So I will continue to speak and write knowing you simply can't please everyone. One thing is for sure I certainly understand why no other council member has a newsletter and why when you see a councillor write its usually fluffy good news stuff.
Not that good news stuff isn't incredibly important. Let's face it, the negative stuff gets enough coverage, but it's just as important to shine a light on the many, many great things that are being accomplished.
Which leads me to some good fluff things I'd like to share. First, I'm equal parts happy and shocked to say this Saturday is the ninth annual Beyond the Valleycliffe of the Dolls (BVOD) event.
It's SORCA's Search and Rescue fundraiser that I created and organize. Plus, I am tee-hee-hee excited for the Squamish Live concert and the fact that my kids are going to see Devo and Bad Religion in Squamish sends tingles up my spine.
What an awesome place to live.
That's about it. You have yourself a wonderful summer and if you haven't already, I urge you to sign up for my monthly email newsletter (at www.bryanraiser.com - or just email me).
It's both a glimpse into this nutty job and a reminder that I'm here ready to help any way I can.
