Perspective

So I was alarmed this morning when I read that Cook County Board President John Stroger was hospitalized, and more so just now when I learned that he had suffered a stroke.

Notwithstanding that I have endorsed my County Commissioner Forrest Claypool in the upcoming election, I have nothing but respect for President Stroger as a person. He has always been congenial with me when I would see him, and his son Todd was my seatmate in the House before he became an Alderman.

But it's times like this that help you put everything in perspective. In races at every level, attack ads are rampant, and winning seems to be acceptable at any cost. But it becomes easy for people to forget that these are real people with real lives. They attack a person's 'integrity', forgetting that they have families and lives outside of the public domain. But these attacks can take their toll on folks. I am NOT saying that the campaign caused Stroger's stroke. With his health history, it's pretty doubtful.

My point is that as we watch the political rhetoric continue to escalate, remember that there are more important things out there than winning an election.