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Sharon McMahon Did Not Plan to Be America’s Government Teacher

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Sharon McMahon Did Not Plan to Be America’s Government Teacher

As I delve into the captivating narrative of Kate McMahon, I find myself utterly enamored by her remarkable journey and resilient spirit. Her roots in Minnesota and her background as an educator have undeniably shaped her into a formidable force in the political landscape.

In September 2020, Sharon McMahon, previously a teacher at a public school, transformed into a yarn entrepreneur and portrait photographer from Duluth, Minnesota, found herself juggling several roles: caring for her husband during a recent kidney transplant, managing four school-age children, following the election campaign with growing unease, and, as she expressed, “simply coping with COVID, like everyone else.” Tired of the excessive online chatter about topics she felt were misunderstood, she decided to share a brief video explaining the Electoral College using everyday items such as an enamel bucket, wooden box, mug, fake branch, and her unique charm. “Feel free to ask,” she added, “if you’d like more videos like this.

Four years ago, McMahon, then aged 47, established herself as America’s Government Teacher after successfully communicating basic civics lessons in a neutral way. Since then, she has expanded her influence into a small media conglomerate, which includes a podcast titled “Here’s Where It Gets Interesting,” an Instagram account SharonSaysSo with 1.1 million followers, a book club that has a waiting list to join, a newsletter named The Preamble, and a new book called “The Small and Mighty.” This book is a collection of brief stories about ordinary individuals who played significant roles in history. McMahon interviewed both Kamala Harris (in March, prior to her nomination) and Tim Walz (in August, following his selection as Harris’ vice presidential pick). When critics pointed out that she hadn’t interviewed Republican nominees, McMahon’s dedicated supporters, known as the Governerds, defended her by stating that she had requested interviews but didn’t receive a response. Many of them even tagged vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance in their comments.

McMahon’s content provides no biased information or sensational news. She states nothing that a moderately interested voter couldn’t find in a Wikipedia entry or a government textbook. However, there’s a soothing and refreshing quality to her midwestern sincerity, her clear understanding of the topics, and the fact that it’s hard to discern her political leanings. “I chose,” she explains, “to stop debating with people who were overconfidently mistaken online, and instead began creating brief, non-partisan explanatory videos instead. Not telling you whom to vote for, not telling you why one candidate was superior to another, but helping you gather the information needed to make an informed decision on your own.” A popular recent video compares the economic policies of the Trump and Harris administrations; another dissects the claim that “the U.S. is a republic, not a democracy.

The Small but Powerful recounts the tales of crucial, though often unrecognized, figures during significant periods of American history. Examples include Gouverneur Morris, a close friend of Alexander Hamilton who penned the preamble to the U.S. Constitution; Septima Clark, a Black educator who co-founded Citizenship Schools that played a crucial role in enabling African Americans to exercise their right to vote and counted Rosa Parks among her students; and Julius Rosenwald, a co-owner of Sears, Roebuck and Co., whose financial support built numerous schools for African American students. Each chapter underscores the idea that people can make a difference using whatever means they have at their disposal. It’s hard to think that McMahon wouldn’t aspire to be in such a category as well.

In a world where people are gravitating towards authentic and relatable sources of information instead of large institutions, McMahon stands out as a modest yet significant figure. She doesn’t aspire for Joe Rogan-level popularity or create Mr. Beast-style spectacles. Instead, she seems content with being the hub that upholds common sense. Unlike Elon Musk who appears to thrive on controversy, she maintains a positive relationship with mainstream media. It was through local radio interviews that she initially gained broader recognition. As she explains, “Unlike some Americans, I don’t harbor contempt for legacy media institutions. I believe they play a vital role, and if they were to disappear, we would all be much worse off.

Karen Kane, a legal assistant residing near Seattle, stumbled upon Sharon McMahon during the turmoil following the 2020 election. “It seems like Instagram recommended Sharon to me,” Karen explains, “as I might have been using terms like ‘misinformation’ or ‘disinformation’ excessively.” Karen soon realized that McMahon is accurate, factual, and unbiased. In one month, for instance, McMahon could pen an admiring piece about President Jimmy Carter and then speak at the George W. Bush Presidential Center in the next.

Kane admired the way McMahon simplified the vast amount of information available online into something easy to understand. Now, she’s a dedicated fan, subscribed to McMahon’s Substack, and part of her book club that has read books like Bryan Stevenson’s “Just Mercy” and Tara Westover’s “Educated.” Despite majoring in political science at university, Kane, aged 55, had disconnected from political news for several years. McMahon rekindled her interest. Now, she watches Rachel Maddow and owns three Kamala Harris t-shirts.

In the sea of confusion that is today’s media landscape, McMahon serves as a guiding light for many. As Shauna Niequist, author of the New York Times bestseller “Present Over Perfect,” puts it, “We’re not just seeking individuals we concur with on every topic, but those we trust to be honest.” For this reporter, who has also appeared on McMahon’s podcast, and many others, McMahon is seen as a reliable source of truth, much like water in a desert.

Originally, the person who had shared her dream of creating a photography course and speaking at conferences just five years ago, now shoulders a significant amount of responsibility. However, McMahon hails from a family accustomed to tackling difficult tasks. Her biological father abandoned her mother and two sisters under 3 while the family was in Germany. Though they are Facebook friends, he left them. Her mother, Julie, married her second husband before even meeting him, but they had exchanged numerous letters and later had another daughter. For four years, she homeschooled McMahon and her sisters. In 2020, she offered to donate one of her kidneys to a stranger, sparking a chain reaction that ultimately provided McMahon’s husband Chris with a kidney from another stranger.

Even though McMahon is new to the media world, she’s far from inexperienced. She quickly understood that she required assistance in spreading the word and enlisted a PR firm prior to initiating her podcast. Leveraging her teaching background and Minnesota roots, she secured an interview with Walz, which consisted of only four questions, all easy ones, but was conducted spontaneously as Walz dashed between engagements. She successfully persuaded Harris to discuss Israel and why pro-life voters might support her, finding her well-prepared and professional. McMahon’s social media critics soon discover that they are no match for a woman who honed her skills on ninth graders; she knows how to tactfully overlook some comments and publicly reprimand others without shaming them.

Her supporters generally lean towards moderation, both ideologically and in demeanor. McMahon describes them as typically women, around their mid-30s, and exceptionally courteous. “Most of them are like, ‘I’m sorry to bother you, I see you’re having dinner, but I just wanted to say keep up the great work,'” she says. Online, they tend to be more vocal in expressing their opinions. As McMahon puts it, “They have a strong passion for making the world a better place and are deeply troubled by the increasing levels of discord and hostility.

Based on comments made on social media, it appears that many of McMahon’s supporters identify as active Christians, like McMahon herself, and hold conservative views. However, these individuals seem to have reservations towards both political parties. As Niequist, a resident of New York City, explains, “Many women I know who were brought up in conservative Christian households were told for years by their religious leaders and parents that the Republican Party best represented Christian values.” Over time, they’ve come to question this belief, finding it no longer accurate or true. This realization has led to significant disillusionment among these women. In search of political guidance outside of their religious leaders or family, they now look to McMahon for wisdom.

McMahon isn’t shy about expressing her firm views. She has publicly advocated for stricter gun laws, less manipulation in electoral districts, the existence of more than two political parties, and an enhancement of voting rights. Her book starts with a firm rejection of the notion that the Civil War was primarily about states’ rights or anything other than slavery. She feels neither campaign is effectively appealing to moderates with their current visions. “People in the middle aren’t resonating with Make America Great Again,” she says. “Nor are they strongly aligned with We’re Not Going Back, as they recognize it’s a counterpoint to Make America Great Again.

She isn’t shy about rallying the Governor’s supporters to tackle an issue. Frequently, she petitions funds for diverse purposes and has successfully gathered over $10 million so far. Her largest contributions underscore her focus areas: she has channeled $2 million towards teachers seeking grant money for school supplies, $2 million to Undue Medical Debt, a move that the organization claims eliminated over $300 million in debt; and a million dollars to chef José Andrés’ World Central Kitchen.

McMahon expresses her astonishment at the level of popularity she’s achieved, stating that she never envisioned a grand scheme, master plan, or business strategy. Instead, she had no specific goals for future growth, merely hoping that her efforts might benefit the 150 friends on Facebook. (After over a decade of teaching, she often finds herself reiterating similar thoughts.) “I didn’t expect this to balloon into something massive,” she adds, explaining her initial expectations were more modest.

She’s considering her digital legacy, paying particular attention to what’s online. In other words, she assumes that at some point in the future, others may be able to view her private messages, or request archived records from platforms like Facebook. Her hope is that when people search for her name on Google, they will find information about her, watch interviews she has given, listen to her podcasts, and hear her voice – all of which will make her descendants proud of who she was as a person.

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2024-09-17 21:06

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