By Ketzel Levine
ABOUT THIS JAVADI GUY
The last time Cyrus Javadi ran as our State Representative, I was committed to defeating. I wasn’t nice about it, either.
I confronted him about joining a Republican pile-on to support a morally dubious Texas governor. I challenged his signing of a bill intervening in women’s reproductive choices. And I wrote him off as a sheepish politician without convictions of his own.
And you know what that guy did, in every interaction with me? The stinker listened. Asked ME questions. Considered my point of view. Truth is, he showed way more maturity than I did and opened the door to discourse and shared common ground.
All this was before his label went from R to D, an incredibly gutsy move inviting near-hysterical levels of derision and harassment. Way beyond not nice. But Cyrus handled it then, and now, with grace and equanimity, inviting conversation, shutting no one out, hiding nothing about his decision, stating openly and honestly why he could no longer support the Republican agenda.
Enemy to frenemy to friend. How many times in your life have you managed a transition like that? I take zero credit. This is all about the influence of an honorable, courageous man.
Years back, Cyrus held views about abortion that were out of synch with the majority of American voters and most assuredly with my own. When repeatedly challenged, he listened, examined his own assumptions, talked with women friends and family members, and braved change. With this change, came a shift to understand the importance of abortion access and the need to not only protect reproductive healthcare, but to ensure its availability to any woman and family who need it.
Representative Javadi has and will defend reproductive rights in Oregon. He is endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Oregon. He believes people can make their own healthcare choices. He believes in our own right to decide the direction of our own lives. Imagine that.
As I scan the current political landscape and consider the deceit, selfishness and self-dealing now rampant among our elected representatives, my advice is to run, not walk, to the ballot box and vote for this Javadi guy.
