I am a Democrat - Garrison Keillor

The following are excerpts from Garrison Keillor's book "Home Grown Democrat" A great read that is replete with doggeral, homespun wisdom and humor.

I am a Democrat, which was nothing I decided for myself but simply the way I was brought up, starting with the idea of 'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you', which is the basis of the simple social compact by which we live and also 'You are not so different from other people so don't give yourself airs', which was drummed into us children back in the old days when everyone went to public schools.

1. Democrats distrust privilege and power. Power unchecked runs amok, tears up the garden, and the privileged become sluggish and dull if nobody talks back to them.

2. Equality is Democratic bedrock.Democrats believe in writing your own story and putting it up against other people's on a level court and let the game begin and more power to you, sing your song and do your dance, but don't be under the illusion that you invented yourself. Don't be so superior you're offended at the thought of the progressive income tax.

Collective expression is a rare thing; self-expression is common as dandelions.

We reside in a city of memory and share the avenues with others. It is a wicked world, in which the power to do harm is so great and the power to do good so slight and an angry fool can do more damage in a day than a hundred wise men can fix in a year, but here we are, we must do our best and do it as a people...

3. We Democrats are inclusive and integrationist to the core. We cross social lines and climb through strata. We are fond of cities where people merge and life bubbles up from below, where high society hangs out with show folks, bankers meet dancers, Lutherans consort with Catholics, Samaritans mill among Judeans and black and pink and brown and Jesus moves among publicans.

4. Democrats believe in individualism. Social class does not tell the story, nor religion or political party or race or nationality. The important distinctions are between individuals, not between groups. Between two siblings, a vast unbridgeable gulf might exist, whereas between male and female, white and black, straight and gay, Eastern and Western, rich and poor, Democrat and Republican, there is ever the possibility of liaison, friendship, union, miraculous intimacy. People who ought to be enemies are not necessarily.

Garrison Keillor - 2004