| The West Virginia Young Republicans crossed a line tonight. The organization posted a "New Year's Eve Warning" telling their members to beware of "drunken incumbents". They pulled up a news story from 2003 when my father was arrested for drunk driving, an incident that's no secret to anyone but also happens to be eight years old.
I'll start by pointing out the obvious. This vitriolic form of politics actually discourages young people from wanting to be civically engaged. The West Virginia Young Republicans might get points for being clever, but these are not tactics that inspire a new generation to participate in the political process.
More importantly, the part of the story that goes untold in this classless Twitter post is the fact that my father hasn't had a drink of alcohol in more than eight years. The incident in 2003 was probably the darkest moment in my dad's life, but it was also a turning point for our family. My father publicly acknowledged a 20 year battle with alcoholism and checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic just days after his arrest. With the support of his family and friends, he has never looked back. God works in mysterious ways.
The following year, my father paid a political price and lost his race for reelection to the State Senate. At the time I said that if the Snyders (myself included) never won another election, it didn't matter to me because my dad had his health back and my family was whole for the first time in two decades. Fortunately, the voters of Jefferson and Berkeley Counties gave my dad another chance in 2008 when he returned to the Senate, and by all accounts has established an incredible record of service to his constituents in the Eastern Panhandle. It's actually a beautiful story of redemption and second chances.
I'm extremely proud of my dad for what he has accomplished politically, but I'm far more proud of how he took responsibility for his actions, faced down his personal demons and dramatically changed the course of his life. My father is my hero, and there's nothing the West Virginia Young Republicans can say or do that will diminish that.
If the Young Republicans want to take shots at me and my position as president of the Young Democrats of America, that's totally fine. But leave my family out of it.
Rod Snyder is president of the Young Democrats of America |
