For those of us who remember the days of Blockbuster Video, we also remember the slogan: “Be Kind, Please Rewind.” It was a gentle reminder that when you returned your VHS rental, you should rewind it to the beginning as a courtesy to the next person. I think our local Blockbuster even charged you a dollar if you didn’t!
As we head into another election season, with many of our neighbors gathering signatures to get on the April ballot, maybe it’s time to bring that slogan back.
Be kind.
An overwhelming majority of elected positions in our village are unpaid volunteer roles. Members of our community raise their hands to serve their neighbors to the best of their abilities with the time they have.
Somewhere along the way, though, I think we’ve started to miss the mark when it comes to civic engagement. Maybe our national political tensions have infected us, and we’ve decided the best way to make our point is to demonize or expose the flaws of those with differing views, who by the way are also our neighbors.
Facebook groups can be great places for candidates to communicate with the community. But we should remember those conversations aren’t representative of the entire village. I’ve also seen firsthand how quickly those forums can require candidates to defend themselves against veiled attacks or get pulled into futile debates.
I wish we entered more of these conversations with the spirit of my favorite Ted Lasso line: “Be curious, not judgmental.”
Curiosity requires patience and grace. Judgment is quick and efficient.
Unless a candidate is your spouse, you probably shouldn’t expect to agree with them on everything. Someone may run for office because they’re passionate about zoning but not be up to date on the latest sustainability initiative. Or they want to contribute their deep expertise in accounting or public health but are unfamiliar with conflict resolution. We’d be better served by asking how they would approach that new-to-them issue rather than condemning them for not already knowing everything.
Remember, these are our neighbors, not full-time politicians with staff.
There’s also a role for the rest of us. When we see someone unfairly tearing down a candidate, we can say something. Calling out poor behavior is an act of bravery that doesn’t have an age limit. And if someone really does have all the answers (spoiler alert: no one does), we should encourage them to grab a petition and run themselves.
We need more people engaged civically, not fewer. In the 2025 election, only about 27% of registered Oak Park voters cast a ballot.
If we don’t treat candidates and elected officials better, eventually people may stop raising their hands to serve because the juice simply won’t be worth the squeeze.
So, as election season begins, let’s channel the Blockbuster spirit: Be kind, please rewind.
Vince Gay has over 20 years of experience in education, ranging from classroom teacher to building administrator. He is currently a member of the D97 school board.