On January 23, 1947 I became a teenager. I remember well some of the years before WWII began and also after the war ended. My Grandpaw and Grandmaw lived with us until they passed away in the 1940's. I recall those early years when my Dad and Grandpaw worked the political scene. They worked handing out literature, making signs, attending rallies, working the polls and doing other political tasks for the candidates they supported and those who already held public office. They followed politics on radio and like many were supporters of Huey and his brother Earl K. Long. They were democrats and supported the democratic party.
My Grandpaw would write letters to public officials and others concerning political issues, supporting their positions or opposing their views with his own opinions on the subject matter. He always had something to say and he and my Dad never missed a vote. They lived and worked politics all year long. My Grandpaw was a barber and his shop was at the corner of Belleville and Alix Streets. We lived in a half double in the 400 block of Belleville so he had a short walk to and from work every day.
Living with us, my Grandpaw always took the time to do things for my brother and I. He taught us to make our own kites and fly them. They had tails in those days for stability. He made us scooters out of old box wood, attached skates at the base so it could roll. He also repaired our skates when they broke down and did so much for us. He had a lot of stories to tell that kept our minds active. He told us he could walk in the rain and never get wet. When we asked how he could do that he said he would walk between the drops. He also used to ask us, remember when I was little and you were big? And we would say yes. Grandpaw passed away before I was a teenager but I will forever remember our times together. I still have one of his monkey wrenches and a hand saw that are over 100 years old.
My Dad continued the same political participation after my Grandpaw passed away and did so for many years thereafter. I remember when he took me to a political rally in Algiers for Hale Boggs who was just starting out on his political career. I was still in school at the time. That was a first for me and my Dad never told me why he wanted to take me. Although my Dad was never an elected person he had a political appointed job most of his adult life either through an elected official, candidates he supported or friends he knew in politics that he worked with. And as of this day I can report that my Grandpaw or Dad never once tried to influence me concerning political decisions nor did they ever try to tell me who to vote for or what party to support.
After graduating from high school, I joined the Marine Corps and spent the next 4 years on active duty. I cast my very first vote in the Presidential election of 1956 when I was 22 years old. My interest in politics grew when President Kennedy was elected. Being a young President, I, as a young person could relate to him and his political agenda. I began following his administration, his speeches and liked his challenge to the American people. I also began writing political hosts on the radio, television and in letters to the editors in the newspaper. It included political guest who commented on political shows and national magazines and especially political opinion writers.
I still have a file full of those letters, many of which are hand written because there was no internet and I had no typewriter. I took them to the library to make copies for my file. Later when the internet came about they were type written. One of the things I learned was very few took the time to even acknowledge they received the letters. David Gergen, a former Reagan adviser and long time political journalist answered one of my letters. Pat Buchanan, a former Reagan adviser and also long time TV political commentator answered one of my letters. Cyathia Tucker, Editorial page editor of the Atlantic Constitution answered my letters and even used one of my suggestions in one of her own commentaries. James Douglas, the author of JFK and the Unspeakable answered one of my letters and was very kind in his comments.
For the past 10 plus years I have written commentary for "PolitiDose" a political commentary blog that can be logged on and read at www.politidose.blogspot.com. PolitiDose was started by my grandson who was still in high school as a place where the general public can log onto, make comment and not have to be subject to the whims of the media. He graduated from high school in 2010, went on to college and I began writing for PolitiDose ever since as the only contributor.
My grandson began his interest in politics early in life and was one of the editors of his high school news paper. I became well aware of his interest in politics at an early age and like my Grandpaw and Dad, never tried to influence his political thinking. We did discuss politics from time to time and enjoyed those moments. When my grandson started PolitiDose, he asked me if I would like to make comment every now and then as a guest writer. I gladly accepted the challenge and that led to my full time commentary which I will always be grateful for.
The question is, what was the real Genesis to my interest in politics? Was it the exposure at an early age of my Grandpaw and Dad's involvement that was stored in my mind for so many years and then released as I aged? Was it the youth of President Kennedy and his popularity? Was it a responsibility I was not aware of that guided me? Maybe it was a combination of factors. I am reminded of a book I read many years ago about Jewish Cantors. The study indicated that all their Cantors had one thing in common, and that was a certain gene. Could that be a factor in my family's four generations of interest in politics. It is food for thought.
This commentary written by Joe Lorio
