Scott Maxwell: Who I am, what I believe. An annual New Year’s disclosure
As we bid adieu to another wild year in Florida, it’s time to continue a tradition started by one of my former colleagues, columnist Charley Reese — with an annual disclosure.
Charley believed that if columnists are going to tell you what they think all year long, they should first tell you who they are and where they stand.
I’m a father of two, married to a kind, beautiful and patient woman who, fortunately, still thinks it’s funny when I spill things on my shirt and who doesn’t pass judgment when I text her questions like: “What’s my bank password again?” (At least she doesn’t pass judgment out loud.)
My wife is a pharmacist who monitors controlled substances for the V.A. in Orlando. Our only salaries come from our two jobs. I don’t do outside work. And I don’t accept money for appearances, mostly because most of the groups I work with are nonprofits, but also because I’m not worth paying to hear.
I believe nonprofits are the backbone of this community.
Our only other income comes from our starter home in Seminole County, which we now rent out. We also own the Audubon Park home where we’ve lived for the past 12 years.
We have two children. Both are just about grown. One works for the Sarasota Opera, helping run that company’s youth program. The other is a senior in college who delivered traumatic news last year: He’d decided to become a journalism major.
I still passionately believe in journalism but am not sure I can recommend anyone major in it these days. That, though, is a topic for another column.
I’m a Presbyterian, a die-hard Tar Heel and lover of fine bourbon and cheap Funyuns.
My parents were inspiring role models. They preached the value of hard work, helping the less fortunate and made all their kids play at least one sport, one instrument and also take Latin. Carpe diem.
My mother raised us and went on to be a nonprofit executive. My father was a brilliant attorney and hall-of-fame, high school swim coach who has been in the throes of frontotemporal dementia for years now. It’s a cruel and relentless disease.
I’m neither a Republican nor a Democrat. I’m a lifelong NPA. I believe partisanship rots the brain. And I’ve seen too many politicians from both parties do rotten things.
If I had my druthers, party affiliation wouldn’t even be listed on ballots. Voters would be forced to learn where candidates stand and what they’ve actually done.
Though I don’t belong to any party, I lean left of center. I believe in public education, that everyone who lives in a country this wealthy should be entitled to health care, that anyone who works a full-time job should be able to make ends meet and that discrimination is always wrong.
I’ve also watched current Republicans in Florida wander off an ideological cliff into the pits of unconstitutional extremism. I’ve never seen more people scream about freedom while trying to restrict it. That said, I don’t believe either party has a monopoly on either good ideas or bad behavior.
I believe in balanced budgets and basic gun rights. I don’t believe access to high-capacity weapons meant for mass slaughter is a basic gun right. I oppose the death penalty, mainly because I’ve seen this state wrongly send record numbers of people to death row.
Like Reese, I am a near-absolutist on free speech. Let vile voices air their opinions in the public square. The best way to combat ugly ideas is to refute them, not silence them. Suppression just gives bad ideas more attention and makes martyrs of those who espouse them.
I work out at least five days a week, but also have a fondness for ice cream and chicken wings. The older I get, in the body battle between wings and workouts, the wings are winning.
I loathe hypocrisy, intolerance and stupid debates meant to gaslight and distract. I also loathe standing in lines. I need to work on my patience.
I enjoy traveling, poker and laughing.
I’m inspired by preschool teachers, social workers and advocates for those with special needs. I believe families struggling with disabilities deserve help.
One of my favorite quotes is that the definition of “privilege” is when something doesn’t strike you as a problem because it’s not a problem to you. I believe many of those with the most privilege are the ones who get most triggered when others acknowledge its existence.
I’m an early riser who starts most days around 4 a.m. and is usually worked up by something or another by 5. That can sometimes be a lot for my wife to handle before sunrise.
I believe passionately in newspapers and am grateful to work for a company run by fearless editors who don’t cower to advertisers or powerful interests, who fight like hell for public records and who have never — ever — told me what I can or can’t write.
I’m honored to work along a scrappy group of journalists who have remained in our profession while most have fled.
I sometimes disagree with our paper’s editorial stances. That’s a good thing. Newspapers should include a range of perspectives.
I believe a columnist’s job is to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. I’ve been threatened by plenty of ticked-off politicians and told that my newspaper will soon fold or that I’ll be fired any day now. Some of those politicians started saying that 20 years ago — and have since been voted out of office.
I love good food, early bedtimes and scary movies.
I appreciate thoughtful people and dissenting opinions.
I am incredibly honored to have this job and that you are reading.
Happy New Year.
