I went to the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul March 9 as a reporter with The Central Minnesota Catholic magazine thinking I would simply observe. I left realizing I need to advocate.
The Joint Religious Legislative Coalition is a bi-partisan, multi-issue group that represents the three largest religious populations in the state of Minnesota — Catholic, Protestants and Jews. They advocate to protect basic human dignity, safeguard and promote family economic security and wellbeing and foster responsible participation in public life.
Each year, the JRLC hosts Day on the Hill to pray, hear from speakers and to provide information about upcoming bills to facilitate conversations with legislators. This year’s conversation focused on strengthening food security, safeguarding affordable housing, expanding homelessness support and opposing gambling expansion.
These are big topics that require thoughtful decisions.
A quick Google search says the average person makes about 35,000 decisions a day. I feel that. Most days are filled with small choices — what to prioritize, what to delay, what to say yes or no to.
For me, decision-making is easier — although not always easy —when the impact is personal. Things get more complicated when I need to consider my husband, daughter or other people in the equation.
Then the stakes feel higher and my decisions are more likely to cause disappointment, resistance or even lack of trust.
Attending the JRLC Day on the Hill showed me first-hand the heightened decision-making responsibility our state senators and representatives hold. Their decisions impact millions.
During my time at the Capitol, legislators met with lobbyists and constituents, attended committee meetings and reviewed policies. They were pulled in many directions, and very little time was their own. (Parents, caregivers, you feel this, right?)
That’s their responsibility. Great government leaders welcome the respectful pull and debate. They want to hear the needs and priorities of the people they represent.
The day reminded me that I have a responsibility, too: advocacy. If I wait for someone else to share about my Catholic beliefs and the needs of my neighbors, I may wait forever.
Making my way through the capitol was stressful and sharing my beliefs and needs felt overwhelming. So, I mostly observed this time.
Next time, I will remember my daughter and how she challenges me in my decision making — her “whys” when she doesn’t understand, how she finds rationale for almost anything she wants and has persistence when the answer disappoints her.
She knows, even after hearing “no” or “not today,” I may change my mind.
And, maybe it’s my call, email, letter or courageous face-to-face visit — or yours — that will be the one last time your legislator needed to hear the ask or be presented with the evidence to help them change their mind.