I first met Ray at the Fryeburg Fair this past October when he invited me to join him and his wife, Dee Dee, on their show to speak about my father, Christopher Wainwright, and his seeking election for Oxford County Sheriff. I am happy to say that he won, and I am still very proud of him, our effort, and the work he has already accomplished.
When Ray and I last spoke, he offered me the opportunity to write for his online magazine. My younger brother, Jonathan, who joined my father and me in the studio in November, encouraged me to accept Ray’s sincere offer. I have to admit, I had some reservations—one of those being potentially compromising the future political aspirations I hold because I dare have an opinion or a different perspective—which is not unrealistic given our current political climate. However, after some thought, I came to the conclusion that my trepidation put too much pressure on myself and much more weight on my words than deserved.
With that being said, I thought I could use this platform as an opportunity to step away from politics, and take a break from the hour-to-hour mental beating a 24-hour news cycle relentlessly delivers. This is my small contribution to bridging the society-induced ideology gap, without a hidden agenda or slanted take, in an attempt to offer an authentic, intimate, and positive perspective that proves people share more commonalities than they do differences.
For the next couple months, I will share my stories and reflections as an intern on Capitol Hill. I hope this piece offers some sort of relief, and a chance for you to gain new insight into an opportunity that is not experienced by many.
I am very appreciative of all that I have learned as an intern for Senator Collins. I am also very grateful to have a strong community of support behind me. My Dirigo family has been with me every step of the way, and I am humbled by their faith in me, and my aspirations. I also want to take a moment to thank my family—I love and miss you all very much.
For this month, I will end with a quick thought on humanity. In a time where politics are turbulent, and passions run high, we often forget the person we disagree with is a person at all. In the age of social media, people can trap themselves in thought bubbles and tailor information to validate their own ideas and perspective. We should challenge our assumptions and beliefs, and use information to strengthen our positions, not cushion them. We need to respect the person on the other side of the dinner table or political aisle. At the very core, we need to identify them as a person who has ambitions, flaws, things that embarrass them, and accomplishments they’re proud of. We all have relative experiences in life, so let’s start there and use it as common ground.
Ellen Wainwright grew up in a small town in Western Maine. She is currently finishing up her degree in political science at the University of Maine as she finishes her internship with Senator Collins in Washington, DC. Ellen’s Fun fact: My political idol is President George W. Bush…(if by the off chance he is reading this, I just want to go on the record and say that I am his biggest fan…if you have to fact check me, just ask anyone who has been around me for 5 minutes).
