Over the years, I've said repeatedly that I'm not particularly political. I don't belong to a political party. I don't trust either party enough to wear the label. I'm not comfortable calling myself a liberal, and I'm not comfortable calling myself a conservative. Some might call me a centrist, but even that feels like more of a label than I care to carry.
Politics has become a team sport, and I've never been very interested in joining either team. Yet there it was. A campaign sign. In my yard. The candidate is Steve Butz, who is running for the Missouri State Senate.
Before anyone starts making assumptions, let me be clear: I didn't put the sign up because of a party affiliation. In fact, I couldn't tell you much about his platform. I haven't studied every position paper. I haven't analyzed every campaign promise.
Who I do know is Steve. Over the past several years, Steve has become more than a public official. He's become a friend. He's one of those people who quietly shows up. He's at church. He's in the choir. He's playing guitar at Mass. He's volunteering. He's helping wherever help is needed.
He has used his position as a state representative to shine a light on our parish, our school, and our neighborhood. Not because he had to. Not because it earned him votes. Because he genuinely cares about the community he serves.
His wife is equally involved. Together, they have become an integral part of the mission of SSP Parish and School. So when Steve asked if I would help support his campaign by placing a sign in my yard, I didn't spend hours researching political talking points. I simply said yes. A friend asked for help. I helped. Maybe that's old-fashioned.
We've become so suspicious of one another that every act of support must come with an agenda attached. Every favor must carry a hidden motive. Every endorsement must require a detailed explanation.
But I still believe people can help people simply because they respect them. Without conditions or expectations. Without a future quid pro quo. Just because it's the right thing to do.
My own voting history certainly doesn't fit neatly into anyone's political strategy. My first opportunity to vote came in 1980. After standing in line for nearly two hours, I proudly cast my ballot for a write-in candidate. George Brett. Yes, THAT George Brett. My baseball hero. Looking back, some would call it a wasted vote. I don't.
I exercised a right that generations of Americans fought, bled, and died to preserve.
I participated. Participation matters. The next election I voted for Ronald Reagan.
Since then, I've voted for Republicans, Democrats, Independents like Ross Perot, and more write-ins. I've never felt obligated to stay loyal to a party. I've always felt obligated to stay engaged. After all, if you're unwilling to participate in the dance, you've earned very little right to complain about the music.
One of my favorite stories growing up involved a Kansas farmer. A reporter noticed a large portrait of John F. Kennedy displayed prominently in the man's barn. The reporter was puzzled. The farmer had been a lifelong Republican.
"Why do you have a picture of Kennedy hanging in your barn?" he asked. The farmer reportedly answered something along these lines: "That fella is the President of the United States, and he deserves the respect that comes with that office."
I've never forgotten that story. Not because it was political, but because it was respectful. The farmer understood something that often gets lost today: respect doesn't require agreement.
You can honor someone's service without sharing their views. You can support a person without embracing everything they believe. You can admire character without demanding ideological perfection.
That's why there's a Steve Butz sign in my yard. Not because of politics. Because of respect. Over the years, I've watched a good man serve his community, his church, his school, and his neighbors.
The sign isn't an endorsement of a party. It's an acknowledgment of character. In a world where people are increasingly judged by labels, maybe what we need more of is the willingness to judge people by the content of their actions. And if a friend who has spent years serving others asks for my support? Well, I still believe friendship is reason enough to say yes.
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