Among other things this weekend, I attended the Rice County DFL convention. I really need to make a long, involved post on this topic, but absent the time to do that right now, I’ll just stick to the basics. There, I got involved with the campaign of Peter Idusogie.
I’m really excited about Peter’s candidacy, because I think he has something that is all too lacking in Congressional politics, and particularly in Midwestern politics. Peter is the son of Nigerian parents, born in London and raised in Africa. He immigrated to the United States 20 years ago to attend college at Gustavus. Listening to him talk, it was clear that his international perspective affected the way he viewed American politics, in a very positive way.
One of the other important pieces of literature I’ve found in the last 24 hours is David Brooks’ article in the NY Times One Nation, Enriched by Biblical Wisdom. I’ll save my commentary on this article for another entry. Brooks’ assertion that American’s can’t understand terrorism because of their diet of secularism is interesting, perhaps even correct. Yet how, at the same time, can he and other conservatives act as if parochial nationalism is not a similar barrier to mutual understanding?
As someone who grew up in the United States but lived in a foreign country for a significant portion of his childhood, I am frequently amazed at how so many Americans can have such a provincial worldview. That’s why I’m excited to see someone with some real international experience running for Congress from this district.
My fellow student and Ithacan Sam is also involved on this campaign, and she’s far more organized than myself. Accordingly, she’s been taking on a lot of duties, and I’ve been backing her up in various ways. We’re planning to get Peter on campus in advance of the April 17th Congressional District convention in Eagan. In addition to obviously being a great opportunity for Peter, I think this will be a great way to remind Carleton students that life exists outside the bubble, even on a local level, and that we need to be more involved in it.
Posted on March 24th, 2004 by Lee
Filed under: Uncategorized
Thank you for your kind words. Life you know is always about other people and it is for this reason only that I ran for political office. As you might guess, I will be back again because the solemn mission to introduce a people driven government that understands that a government that puts people first is truly a government by the people for the people of the people. As you know my campaign in 2004 was a call for a fundermental shift in the way government thinks. Above it was about vision. The scriptures says “My people perish for lack of vision” Thank for your support.
Believe or not
Peter I. Idusogie