Tim ONeill and Allan Rikkola
Recorded
November 27, 2023
54:15 minutes
0:00 / 0:00
Id:
osv000227
Description
One Small Step conversation partners Allan Rikkola (82) and Tim ONeill (71) discuss their grandchildren, democracy and election work, the role of government, and navigating political conversations in social groups.Subject Log / Time Code
Allan Rikkola and Tim ONeill talk about how they grew up, in Massachusetts and Dearborn, Michigan, respectively.
Tim and Allan reflect on the differences between how they grew up and how their grandchildren are growing up.
Allan talks about his grandchild with Cerebral Palsy who is in a gifted program.
Tim talks about his granddaughter who is getting ready to graduate from High School and is on a robotics team.
Tim reflects on the times when both he and his wife going through cancer.
Allan shares his fearing for our democracy and finding hope in the youth at his church.
Tim shares his experiences as an election supervisor and his views on January 6th, 2021.
Allan talks about his political views shifted, what he sees as the role of government and the importance of some protections.
Tim talks about his changing politics. He recalls his time during the 1972 Presidential election and running for a local office himself.
Allan talks about his beliefs being shaped by people who think differently than him. He talks about not discussing politics with people who disagree with him in order to keep the friendships.
Tim talks about the National Parks Service and Social Security as popular government programs. Allan talks about taking the long view. Tim shares his thoughts around Social Security needing to be updated.
Allan and Tim talk about their expectations of each other and the upcoming 2024 Presidential Election.
Participants
- Tim ONeill
- Allan Rikkola