I am doubting the use of my ‘inside voice’ at the Capitol.
A woman dies walking to an open homeless shelter in the bitter cold. I use my inside voice to tell policy-makers that she is one of over a hundred that will die homeless this year.
I know people who have more cockroaches, mice, and other critters as neighbors than men, women , and children. Using my inside voice, I ask legislators to consider stronger laws protecting low-income renters.
A state representative tells me it is churches not the State that should care for the homeless, I politely use my inside voice to say that sometimes people living on the streets with severe and persistent mental illness, women fleeing violence, or families perpetually-trapped by an economy that does not offer them jobs might benefit from some professional assistance.
My inside voice at the Capitol is the voice that shares useful statistics that promote change. It delves into cost-benefit analyses, reporting that it is cheaper and more effective to prevent and / or do early interventions than to let problems become crises.
My inside voice is that Minnesota-nice, middle-class-skewed, don’t-rock-the-boat voice that believes educating policy-makers will eventually work, that action should be reserved for really bad situations … or days that are so special they get named.
But my inside voice is sounding weary and stale. And it isn’t producing the results it is supposed to.
While I am polite and respectful, some legislators toy with the complete elimination of State funding for homeless services. While I try to educate, state legislative committees pass legislation with thinly-veiled property tax increases on homeowners and blatant tax increases on low-income renters, while they proudly tout tax breaks for corporations and the wealthy.
A few days ago, I heard that a legislator questioned the existence of mental illness. After all, there is no blood test for it.
My outside voice bubbled up from my gut. It was an angry, disgusted voice. How have we let things become so bad?!?
True, sometimes when I want to use my outside voice, I want to lash out. I want to scream words that rarely come out of my mouth. I want to make those who disagree with me feel small. I want to blame.
At those times, it is probably best that I go for a run, listen to some heavy metal music, or find a place where I can scream and no one will hear me.
But my outside voice can be useful. It does not need to be off-putting or rage-filled.
My outside voice is the one that shuns acronyms for effective programs, and instead tells the stories of real people living real lives.
My outside voice does get elevated sometimes. It does quiver. Sometimes it doesn’t know the statistics behind the feeling.
My outside voice is the one that just might move people to act.
It, I think, speaks to politicians and ‘real people’ alike.
I need to use my outside voice at the Capitol more.
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This was a wonderful article that spoke directly to the point about homelessness. People are suffering, and government has the responsibility to make a better place for everyone in this country. One important point in the article that I hear a lot repeated these days, “Churches, not the state, should care for the homeless…..” Churches are a part of the solution, but for any legislator to say that churches, in themselves, are the whole solution, that is the same as saying, “It’s not my problem…..I don’t care.” Churches offer charity. Government changes systems. Government has the power and resources to alleviate the overall problem of homelessness. But government can only be as courageous and compassionate as its legislators, and I would like to think, its voters.
Thanks for this moving post. You’ve put to words something that I’ve been feeling lately. The voices that blame and deride the poor are loud and ubiquitous. Hiding behind research feels like a losing game. What’s an introvert with an inside voice to do?
Kim, I’d hardly say you hide behind research. Your research — and the gems of other research you find — are powerful. As many have been telling me over the past couple days, we need to use both our inside voice and outside voice. Today, I’ll be thinking about (and writing about?) some outside voice ideas.
I respect and admire the work you do Michael- thanks for keeping-on!
Thanks Michael for your advocacy! OUTSIDE VOICES ROCK!
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