Greek has a variety of words for ‘time,’ not least of all chronos and kairos.
Chronos is a period of time: a long time, a short time...clock time, if you will. It’s where we get the word ‘chronology.’
Kairos, on the other hand, is “the perfect time.” Lexicographers have described the ancient Greek understanding of kairos as “a welcome time.” It’s the time when something should happen, when something is supposed to happen.
Unfortunately, people often make choices on the basis of chronos time when they should make decisions on the basis of a kairos moment.
Think, for example, about people who get married because of logistics instead of love, or those who on impulse buy a house, because, well, they just like it.
On the other hand, we found out the other day that Stephanie Herseth Sandlin chose not to run in the South Dakota Senate race. That was a big decision for her, both on the personal and the professional level, and one that she made according to both chronos and kairos understandings of time.
That’s how it ought to be, ideally, in life: events come to pass when it is both the right time and the right happening.
It must be said that several years ago, when she was first elected, she and we here in South Dakota also had a confluence of chronos and kairos time. It was then the right time for Stephanie Herseth Sandlin.
But now, a new welcome moment has come in South Dakota Democratic politics.
After getting assurance that Brendan Johnson will not run, Rick Weiland has thrown his hat into the ring.
I bet he pitched it there after spending some time thinking about chronos and kairos, and apparently he decided that this is the moment when chronos and kairos coalesce.
He’s absolutely right.
There is an election (chronos), and our party needs a candidate like Rick (kairos).
Rick Weiland is a savvy business man (not least of all seen in his family’s restaurant, Parker’s Bistro); was appointed to be the regional director for FEMA from 1997-2000; a position followed by his appointment as the director of the South Dakota chapter of the AARP (where he established a Bill of Rights including the protection of health care, Social Security, and long-term care); among other accomplishments while working with the International Code Council, he helped to develop the nations first code for green construction; and he was a former staffer for Sen. Tom Daschle, who, it must be noted, has come out with hearty support for his friend and former staffer.
So here’s where the kairotic-moment part comes in:
This election isn’t only about Rick.
It’s also about a movement--two movements, really.
The first movement is to strengthen the South Dakota Democrats as we clarify what it means to be a Democrat.
Now I recognize that there is a blue color spectrum within the Democratic community. Blue covers a wide range between green and violet.
But that means too that we aren’t green, and we aren’t violet.
We’re blue.
In the same way, although I realize that donkeys come in a variety of breeds, it is safe to say that donkeys are not dogs.
Particularly Blue Dogs.
Here in South Dakota, the kairos and chronos time has come to figure out what a Blue Donkey looks like.
Rick is up to that task.
The second movement follows: once we focus on who we are, we confidently share that news with other South Dakotans.
The Democratic Platform has policies which benefit workers, seniors, farmers, women, children, people with disabilities, small business owners, and people who get sick.
In short, we place our energy toward helping the vulnerable and the hard-working lower- and middle-classes, rather than protecting the already well-fortified aristocrats.
That should resonate here, where eyebrows get raised when stuffy suits and ties come walking into the corner cafe be-seated by folks with farmers' tans and well-worn blue jeans.
In his announcement letter, Rick said: “....as our South Dakota native son, Hubert Humphrey, once said: ‘The moral test of government is how that government treats those who are in the dawn of life, the children; those who are in the twilight of life, the elderly; and those who are in the shadows of life, the sick, the needy and the handicapped.’"
So.
The time(s) have come.
The kairos and the chronos times have come for Rick Weiland to run.
He needs to run for our party, he needs to run for our state, and he needs to run for our nation.
Rick, you are right: it is both the right time, and you are the right happening.
We welcome this moment and we welcome you.