I wanted to write a piece on American politics. Desperately. It’s always in the news. It seems important. I wanted to be knowledgeable about it. Toban, our editor, wanted me to write one too. He imparted inspirational words upon me like “You can do it!” and “It’s not hard!” Only, I was scared. When I thought about American politics, all I could picture was Barack Obama smoking cigarettes and playing with a BlackBerry, with the smoke from his cigarette spelling out “libertarian.” I can maybe identify Mitt Romney’s face. Joanna, a Toronto Standard intern, said that I should write about “Super Tuesday.” I nodded. What’s Super Tuesday, my brain asked. If I were going to write a piece about it, I guess I had better find out; so I took to Toronto’s streets to see if anyone could help me. The results were surprising.
Kai, 17, Student, @ Queen & John
What do you know about Super Tuesday?
No idea. What is it?
That’s what I’m trying to figure out too.
Felix, 25, Traveller, @ Queen & John
What do you know about Super Tuesday?
Nothing. What’s that? I’m from Germany.
Carina, 23, Business Manager of a photography studio, @ Queen & John
What do you know about Super Tuesday?
Is it an American political thing? I know that I hate Rick Santorum.
Why?
Because he’s a crazy Christian bigot and I don’t believe in any of his values. For him to impose his moral or ethical or religious values on other people in his political campaign is plain wrong.
I agree.
Justin, 19, Student, @ Dundas Square
What do you know about Super Tuesday?
I have no idea what you’re talking about.
Ben, 36, Traveller, @ Dundas Square
What do you know about Super Tuesday?
Is that to do with the bailout and all that? Some of them are supporting it and others aren’t?
Probably?
Jonathan, 20, Student, @ Dundas Square
What do you know about Super Tuesday?
I don’t understand the details, but I know that Obama needs to not lose.
Jessica, 23, Editorial Assistant at Toronto Standard
What do you know about Super Tuesday?
There’s a KFC Special for $2.99 every single Tuesday?
I guess nobody really knows what Super Tuesday is. I have a subscription to the New Yorker, but their coverage of the Republican race is often so blatanly Democratic that I can’t read it. I sometimes read The Daily Beast, but that’s only sometimes. My knowledge of political America is pretty limited. I know that Newt Gingrich has had three wives (and cheated on two). I also know that after Mitt Romney’s father died, he was baptised as a mormon, despite his stern athiest beliefs while alive. I like the juicy bits, and I don’t use words like “caucus.” Before taking to the streets for this piece, I looked up what Super Tuesday was on Wikipedia and had great trouble refracting it upon those who asked. If you asked me right now, I’d shrug and say, “iunno.”
It seems that American politics are inexplicable for a lot of people. Everyone understands that knowing is important. All seemed genuinely embarassed when I questioned them and they couldn’t answer. But who has the time to scour political columns when we’ve got out own government to deal with? What’s going on in the Republican race right now? Something something Michigan? Why are they in Michigan?
I still don’t really know what Super Tuesday is, but at least I’m not alone. I still want to learn more about American politics, and I guess I’ll start on the Super Tuesday wikipedia page. Again.
(Oh, and by the way, if you were wondering: Super Tuesday is next Tuesday.)
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Jessica Carroll is the Toronto Standard’s editorial assistant. Follow her on Twitter at @jssckr.
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