Word.
Fun little story (and the reason I make a terrible liberal)
Fresh outta college, my new wife and I were struggling to make a living in Portland, OR. I took the first job I could get: canvasing for the Oregon Public Interest Research Group (OSPIRG). Wow. A buncha good folks who really thought they were making a difference in the world. I didn't say that I thought they were a little full of it and that I was just there to get a paycheck, but they really were good people. I didn't do too well in that job...
I remember clearly though it was damn near 20 years ago. Knocked on a door and a retired man answered the door wearing a blue cap with "USS Somethin'" on it with scrambled eggs along the edge of the visor. My brother, ex-navy, had a similar hat so I knew what that meant. After my brief, mandatory, little pitch asking for money for some liberal, environmental cause that I can't remember and establishing that he wasn't interested in supporting it I said "Fair enough, sir, and thanks for you time. Did you serve in the Navy, by any chance?"
He was quite surprised and said that he had for most of his adult life.
"My brother was in the Navy during Desert Shield, sir, and I know how tough it can be on you and your family. Thank you so much for you service, I really appreciate it."
He looked at me for a moment and said "Son, you been out walkin' around all night. You want to sit and have a cup of coffee before you go?"
So I sat in his living room and he told me about life onboard the "USS Sumthin'", about his children and grandchildren, and I told him about my brother and my family. After 20 minutes or so I said "Well, I've really enjoyed this but technically I'm still on the clock so I should get going. Thanks again."
He looked at me with one of those looks that only an elder can give a young man and asked
"Son, do you really believe in this cause that you were talking about?"
I thought about it for a moment.
"I'm not old enough to know what the best thing to do is, but this seems like a cause worth fighting for until I know what the best thing is. So, yes and no. I know that our quality of life is linked to the quality of our environment and this is pretty much the only avenue I know of to support that."
He looked at me for a long moment.
"Son, I still don't think I can give you any money but I highly respect
you. You have a good night and take care, now."
When I briefly related the wonderful conversation I had with the Navy vet my coworkers scoffed and told me that I was wasting my time: conservative vets never give anything.
At that moment I quit that job. That single conversation did more good for the "cause" (and for me) because it was a ~human~ moment, a human connection across ideological divides, and not a one-sided financial appeal. My devout coworkers couldn't understand that.
I've always been thankful for that conversation with that vet. It was a formative moment for a young, idealist man.