Rick Robol is an attorney in Columbus, Ohio, specializing in international and maritime law, civil litigation and complex corporate decision-making. He recently became an activist with Independent Ohio and will be attending his first National Conference of Independents:
In February, 2012, I completed 20 years of service as an officer in the U.S. Army Reserve. During my time as a soldier, I refrained from politics out of respect for the separation of military and civilian decision-making undergirding our civil liberties.
Now that I no longer have that constraint, I look forward to participating in this year’s national convention. I have been inspired by the writings and words of independents throughout our nation—particularly the leadership lessons in vision, courage, intellectual-honesty and love from our President, Jackie Salit; the diligence and thoughtfulness of our national counselors and administrators Gwen Mandell, Nancy Ross and Sarah Lyons; and—in my own State of Ohio—the humility, energy and dedication of our State leader, Cynthia Carpathios. These and many others exemplify the virtues of wisdom, openness to new ideas, audacity and love for our nation and for our fellow Americans—regardless of party or non-party affiliation– that must guide each of us as independents.
I hope that throughout this year’s convention, we all remember that as we are a family. We must look out for one another, knowing that our fellow independents are our brothers and sisters in a difficult struggle to re-shape our nation’s political dialogue based on reason, critical thinking and self-sacrificial service to the American people. We must understand how the two party monopoly of professional politicians stays in power by dividing Americans against one another and by perpetrating the myth that there is no such thing as an “independent” voter or candidate. We must, to paraphrase Benjamin Franklin, all hang together or we shall surely all hang separately.
When George Washington warned against the evils inherent in political parties in his 1796 Farewell Address to our nation, who would have thought that his words would still be so relevant 216 years later? Yet, Washington’s admonition against the “frightful despotism” inherent in the “alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension” rings true to this day. In the spirit of Washington’s instruction, I look forward to meeting and working with our fellow independent voters and candidates at this year’s national convention.
Very respectfully,
Rick Robol
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