Legislative News
Showing Up
by David Comings BCPP
I used to think that showing up for someone or something meant arriving at a predetermined location at a pre-arranged time. Since then, I have come to understand that it also means being there for someone or an organization when they need you and taking action, if necessary.
APTA needs you to show up. Your fellow Polarity Practitioners need you to show up.
Human beings are, by nature, social animals that react differently to people when we meet them face-to-face than we do when we hear their voices or read their writing. So, when we see or hear that 20,000 people signed thus-and-such petition – it’s impressive, has an impact, and it’s a statistic. When 5,000 people write a letter – that shows more interest and initiative, it is somewhat more impressive, and it’s also a statistic.
Statistics are important. Many of the decisions we regularly make come from our understanding of various relevant statistics. Many of the decisions made by us, our families, as well as local and national governments during the recent COVID-19 pandemic were based on our understanding of the statistics we know about. Taking action to help create statistics that support your side of an issue is very important.
Showing up also involves being there. The impact of personal testimony at legislative hearings holds significant weight. This provides the face-to-face interaction we, as a species, have learned to rely on to determine credibility, truthfulness, and trust. It is also interactive, so questions can be asked and answered, clearing up areas of misunderstanding that would not be resolved by a petition or written document.
The power of a few, who show up and testify in person, who tell their story, and the impact of proposed legislation on them and their livelihoods can be tremendous.
If you can testify in person when it comes to the legislation that threatens to impact all of us, please do! Now that COVID-19 is declining and things are opening back up, the opportunity to testify in person has returned in most States.
When you are unable to show up in person, show up in the statistics by calling, writing, or signing petitions. Statistics carry weight, and the larger the numbers, the more impact they have.
Show up. Take an active role in your life and livelihood and help your fellow Polarity Practitioners in the process. We cannot do this alone, we need your support.