Wanting to make a difference?

For some time now, I feel that this country does not feel that the Federal Government is working FOR them, but AGAINST them. The average politician does not really care what the people he/she represents really care about. I have considered running for a small political office in my state, to try and make a small impact on the lives of my fellow citizens. I would do it for free. After all, thats what public service should be, serving the public. My biggest problem is what has occured in my past. I grew up a racist person and most of those I grew up with know it. I joined the military where I had no choice but to interact with other races. I felt resentment at first, but realized after spending months together in a nasty dry place(the gulf) that we were all alike. I no longer have those feelings of racism. I fear now though that someone could dig something up from the past that would show me not a person to be trusted because of my past views. Should I take the chance and run?

Yes, run and tell your story first, so that others cannot harm you with it. Use your experience and the change in your life to inspire others. Good luck to you.

Let them dig it up, it's a part of who you once were and therefore a pivotal gear in who you became. Don't be like most politicians and hide embarrassing portions of your past, lest you fall into the same black hole they do and loose everything you're claiming to achieve by running for office.

I think if you are prepared to give an honest explanation of how your feelings changed over the years that it should make little difference.

An opponent could make something of this background, and you might have to do a lot of explaining. However if you are running for the right reasons, and it sounds like you are, you should be able to manage the criticism.

Senator Byrd, from West Virginia, held a high office in the KKK. I would hope he is long past the feelings he had as a member of the white sheets club. If racism in the past disqualified politicians, many politicians would have been disqualified from ever running.