Saugerties Times, October 9, 2014

Truthful Politics with Assemblyman Pete Lopez

by Sarah Dahman
Masters in Philosophy, New School for Social Research

Saugerties youth are not interested in polarizing political beliefs. Instead, it is more important to
highlight public officials, including Congressman Gibson, that work to connect with their constituents
and by doing so, transcend politics. Congressman Chris Gibson and Assemblyman Peter Lopez refuse
labels that make for trite political debate and instead bring deep meaning to their actions, including the
way they vote. The transition from politician to public servant brings to bear deep truths about how
public officials develop, what inspires their thoughts, and how they work to connect to their
constituents, even in disagreement. Yet, when the voting lever is turned, what are we voting for? Our
interests campaign finance, gun rights, abortion or are we looking deeper and voting for something
of substance that cannot be construed into a sound byte?
A vote for Assemblyman Peter Lopez is a vote for substance, steadfast commitment, virtue, value, faith,
a special human spin on morality, and community. Through his work, Lopez epitomizes Saugertesian
values, the ones that escape political fanfare: virtue and community. In Saugerties, virtue comes from
our strong self-identification as a family town and the high standards employed to maintain that value
in order for families to thrive here. Community arises from dialog and connection that frames our
virtuous attempts to achieve this higher moral standard of life. The way in which Lopez practices his
passion serving the public underscores Saugerties collective effort to uphold this virtuous quality of
life.
Aristotle understood rhetoric as an elite form of expression that connects abstract meaning of
philosophy to the human concerns of politics. In this vein, Lopez frequently quotes Martin Luther
King: Our lives begin to end the day we remain silent. Lopez uses this quote to stress the importance
of community and connection even through invisible boundaries of culture, race, and status. His
message is that we are all experiencing the same threat to our freedoms and in recognizing that, we can
embrace our mutual humanity. Lopez references Martin Luther King at the passionate peak of his
speeches when he is fervently trying to find that deep connection between urban culture, inner city
culture, and rural culture. Political issues such as Common Core, the SAFE Act, and even abortion are
not what separates, but the judgment about others that can turn into racism, bigotry, and small minds.
In interview, Lopez made reference to Star Trek, the scene where Spock dies and Captain Kirk utters a
sort of ironic eulogy: Of all the souls I have encountered in my travels, his was the most... human.
Even the most foreign among us is human, even the ones farthest from us, from Democrat to
Republican, are human. Is that not what Saugerties strives for when we declare we are a family town?
Is that soulful human life not what we are really seeking when we challenge beliefs? The irony is on us
if we fail, when we cannot reconcile our human nature with that of our neighbors.
At the peak of human metaphor, Lopez finds his heart condition in hymn: And He will raise you up on
eagles' wings. Bear you on the breath of dawn. Make you shine like the sun and hold you in the palm of
his hand. Spiritual inspiration forms Lopez's moral judgment. The heart condition is a phrase Lopez
uses to explain how he is able to connect with others through entrenched compassion, empathy and
humanity. Love thy neighbor serves as a guiding principle in his work as an Assemblyman. Lopez
says he does not draw distinctions between constituents. Using Common Core as an example, Lopez
identifies common ground between far left and the far right and seeks to unite seemingly oppositional
groups. Lopes says he subscribes to the tenets of the community and every aspect of his work is a

constant effort to bring communities together. He pointed out that this is a collective challenge in how
to find common threads even with incredible differences. Are not those the absolute ingredients of
family, coming together despite differences?
In an ultimate testament to his philosophy, Lopez challenged this writer's beliefs on abortion. Is not
the ultimate libertarian philosophy about personal responsibility?, he asked. From that ensued a very
emotional conversation about the meaning and purpose of life, but the conversation never veered into a
place where the odds disrupted Lopez's passion to serve. Lopez spoke about the willingness to risk, to
stay true to oneself even when there were such drastic differences in philosophy. There is a fine line
between unification and community while respecting different points of view. State Senator Charles
Cook, Lopez's former boss, managed similar maverick logic that would at times put him at odds with
the Republican party but was always done with profound conviction for what Cook believed to be best
for his constituents. Lopez stands valiantly in his own truth in order to be able to serve and exemplify
life, community, and virtue. Are those not the tenets of Saugerties?
Lopez had these final words: Revolution is not needed if we are all on the same page. The same
fundamental challenges face us all. Radical change is not required if we uphold each others truths as
we form our communities and families. We hold these truths to be self-evident, right Saugerties?