Thank you for this post, it articulates a tension I’ve felt for some time volunteering within a single-issue political party(animal focused). I found the section on limited legitimacy and the risks of shifting positioning without supporter consent particularly resonant, that trust is hard-won and easy to lose.
At present, we’ve tended to respond with “we only focus on X,” but as we mature as a party, I’m hopeful we’ll increasingly draw on our core values (which include compassion and nonviolence) to guide which issues we engage with and how. Our circle of compassion is already wide, even as an animal-focused party, from ecosystems to poverty to food systems, so there’s a natural (and values-aligned) path to grow into that broader voice. I hope, as we do, our supporters will recognise the same values that drew them in and walk with us.
Thank you for this post, it articulates a tension I’ve felt for some time volunteering within a single-issue political party(animal focused). I found the section on limited legitimacy and the risks of shifting positioning without supporter consent particularly resonant, that trust is hard-won and easy to lose.
At present, we’ve tended to respond with “we only focus on X,” but as we mature as a party, I’m hopeful we’ll increasingly draw on our core values (which include compassion and nonviolence) to guide which issues we engage with and how. Our circle of compassion is already wide, even as an animal-focused party, from ecosystems to poverty to food systems, so there’s a natural (and values-aligned) path to grow into that broader voice. I hope, as we do, our supporters will recognise the same values that drew them in and walk with us.