|
Q - Can a conservative be a social worker?
A - There was
a time when the answer to that probably would have been no
for most people. Social workers have usually been more activist
than mainstream society. Politically, I would say that social
workers have always had a tendency toward liberalism.
Q - Are you
saying the political climate has changed?
A - Politics
is much more polarized nowadays. There are extremists in both
the political left and right, and the extremists seem to be the
most vocal.
Q - What is
it that divides the left and right?
A - The
issues on marriage, abortion, the death penalty, and the war in
Iraq are what really divide people. However, there are many other
political and social issues which get less attention and reaction.
There are important concerns in education, unemployment, the
environment, healthcare, social security, and criminal justice.
Q - Are there any
options to the extremes of left and right?
A - Yes,
there are numerous political categories, but these are not as
strongly expressed except maybe during elections. Here is a very
simplified view of the basic political categories.
Generally, we think
in terms of liberals and conservatives. Liberals emphasize
individual freedoms, while at the same time holding a belief that
government programs should aid social welfare. Conservatives
emphasize traditional values, are hesitant to change social
structure, and prefer very little government involvement.
Moderates are in
between liberals and conservatives. Moderates decide for
themselves if they agree or disagree with anything, and they
dislike being politically labeled. They are good at finding
commonalities among different viewpoints.
The difficulty
nowadays is that liberals at the extreme left and conservatives
at the extreme right have narrowly focused on the issues of
marriage, abortion, the death penalty, and the war in Iraq to
the point of creating a cultural battle in which no debate can
take place.
Q - What is your
political affiliation?
A - I'm an
American.
Since September
11th, I have become more appreciative of America history, and more
sensitive to the struggles and successes of the people who made
America a good place to live. Politically, I am aligned with
anyone who loves our country and wants to keep it free.
I have been a
registered Democrat since I was old enough to vote, but I always
vote as I see fit. In the 1980's, I defined myself as a
Conservative Democrat. That meant I had family values, but I also
believed in social programs. In the Republican Party there were
also people like me who were known as Progressive Republicans.
Q - How do
political labels affect social workers?
A - Let me
give an example. I used to have a job where we openly discussed
political issues and how we were going to vote. Opinions and
disagreement were acceptable. Then I had another job where I
would not have dared to express my views or concerns, because to
disagree was to be disloyal to the institution.
This is what happens
with polarization. There can be no independent thinking, no new
ideas. Any disagreement with one extreme means that you must
belong to the other extreme. You are labeled. It can make the
workplace very uncomfortable. You have to be careful in everyday
socialization with your colleagues.
Q - This brings
us back to the original question: can a conservative be a social
worker?
A - Yes, a
conservative could find a suitable job nowadays. I think it would
be more difficult for a moderate to find a niche. We have learned
to think critically, but polarized politics requires us to choose
a side. If you do not choose one or the other side, then you
will find yourself rejected by both. It takes a strong person to
endure that kind of alienation.
Q - Doesn't
it seem strange that social workers would succumb to political
pressure?
A - Yes and
no. Yes, because social workers should exercise objectivity,
reflection, and self-determination. No, because political
platforms are always changing in response to the times we live in.
Whether it's the New Deal, the War on Poverty, or No Child Left
Behind, we are always trying to find ways to solve current
problems. If you want to accomplish something, it may mean
political alignment. The difficulty today is that political
polarization and the cultural battle have become obstructions to
debate.
Q - Do I detect
some hypocrisy here? In other essays you have talked about the
necessity to choose sides between civilization and terrorism. Is
that not a form of polarization?
A - No, not
at all. These are entirely different situations. And this is
why we always need to exercise critical thinking: so that we can
untangle things like this.
Regarding the choice
between civilization and terrorism, there were indeed only those
two choices. Options did not exist. There was a need to unify
and mobilize the pro-democratic nations of the world. Any attempt
at neutrality would have been, de facto, supportive of terrorism.
Q - How does
this differ from America's polarized politics?
A - Think of
it as a frozen T.V. dinner. A frozen dinner is a packaged deal.
You buy the dinner complete in a box. You cannot say, "I
want the chicken and the mashed potatoes, but take out the
corn." Likewise, in polarized politics, you cannot say,
"I favor traditional marriage, the death penalty, and the
war in Iraq, but I disagree with the anti-abortion stance."
You have to buy the whole package.
Q - Is there any
way out of this?
A - Courage.
We must follow our
convictions regarding the cultural battle issues. We also need
perseverance to tend to the non-packaged areas of education,
unemployment, the environment, healthcare, social security, and
criminal justice before they also become rigidified into cultural
division.
Knowledge.
We must study our
own history. America has always found strength and unity in
individualism and diversity. Take a quarter out of your pocket.
E pluribus unum: out of many, one. In contrast, a sharp
cultural division only results in a battle for domination of the
whole.
Q - Does
political affiliation alter the patient/therapist relationship?
A - No, just
remember to start where the client is.
So long as we follow
the social work maxim to start where the client is, there
should be no conflict between the therapist's political ideals
and the patient's pyschosocial needs. A conservative therapist
should be able to treat a liberal patient, and a liberal therapist
a conservative patient.
When the political
and the personal overlap, then it is the therapist's
responsibility to find an employment solution. If you do not
believe in abortion, then do not take a job in a family planning
clinic. If you have grievances against the Catholic Church, then
do not take a job in a Catholic institution just to use your
position as a soapbox for bashing Catholics.
Q - If you could
change anything about the profession of social work, what would
it be?
A - I would
emphasize helping all people regardless of income or status,
meaning both poor and rich. Historically, social work has been
directed toward the poor, the downtrodden, the vulnerable.
Services for this population are essential, but I think it became
a social work political bias.
When I was in social
work school, there were some students who scoffed at the prospect
of helping rich people. They did not apply the social work value
of individual worth to the upper income population. It was as
though just because you had money, you had no problems. Or,
because you had money, you should be able to fend for yourself.
Self-determination (i.e., making money) was denied to the
rich. Yet, these same students would expect funding for social
programs from the government (i.e., taxpayers' money).
This view has changed
somewhat nowadays. We know that wealthy women can also be victims
of domestic violence, rape, incest. The rich also suffer from
depression, anxiety, addiction and self-destruction. Yes, they
have the money to seek help from private practitioners and they
have other advantages. But that does not make them less deserving
of compassion.
Q - Should
social workers run for political office?
A - Sure,
why not? There are, in fact, social workers in elected offices
at all levels of government. Most are Democrats with only a
scattering of Republicans. This is probably good news if you are
a liberal. If you are a conservative, then this might motivate
you to change that proportion.
Social workers
should consider doing more than, or other than, advocating for
patient rights or endorsing candidates as a way of influencing
political policy. Getting elected to office is a way of being
directly involved in decision-making on behalf of the community.
Q - What are your
career goals?
A - To keep
learning, to be creative, and to stay connected to people. When
I was younger, I wanted to work for specific employers and with
specific populations. It became part of my identity. Now I
prefer flexibility, adaptability, and variation. In addition to
making a contribution to the lives of others, I look for expansion
of my personal interests. I think this change in attitude is a
part of getting older. Time is running out, and there are still
things I want to do. (Written 03/06/06: bibliography available.)
Until we meet
again....... .......stay sane.
|
