I want to take a post to reflect on something not related to Mom stuff: the current political brouhaha. Actually, I suppose anything relevant to the future of the country does affect Mabel, and therefore is mom- related. But even if not, I feel the need to vent.
I am all for lively political debate, and even jokey political banter, in the spirit of respect and kindness. What I'm NOT down with is the mean, nearly bullying political warfare that makes its way to Facebook and even daily life.
A registered Independent, I make my way through the mire of each election by evaluating my priorities as a voter, and then matching the candidates' views to mine. 9 times out of 10, this process has me voting for the Democrat, but I can say with utter truth that I don't vote blindly. I actually voted for Mitt Romney as governor of Massachusetts. I'm not so far left that I fail to do my research.
What seems to be happening this year, and more so than in in any other election year that I can recall, is that people are downright mean to each other. I miss the days when Facebook was a true social network-- when I could log on and see pictures of someone's recent trip to London, or read a funny quip, or open a link to a cool New York Times article. I miss reading respectful political discussion. And I miss not feeling edgy and anxious upon logging on, fearing what I will see today.
Statuses that refer to "Liberal Union F*cks" (the expletive being used as a noun and therefore as a monicker) or that make the claim that "Democrats boo God" are not only absurd but offensive. And it goes the other way too. Not all right- wingers are Tea Party extremist racists. I'm so sick of the polarizing and labeling.
I watched the debate last night and, sure enough, was greeted this morning by a host of Facebook statuses relevant to it. A few were witty and respectfully reactionary; others were biting, mean, incendiary. Part of the beauty of a democracy is that we don't have to agree, and using scare tactics or bigotry is NOT going to "win" people to your side. Most people know whom they are voting for by now. Your Facebook status will do little to reform anyone's thinking. And the mean- spiritedness of some of the comments is counter- productive to what it means to be a citizen of a free nation.
The other concept with which I take issue is making claims that are just plain wrong. For instance, I recently read a status that read that "Liberals are in favor of killing babies even after they are born." I think said poster needs a civics lesson on what the "right to choose" means. And just because a voter favors the right to choose, it doesn't even mean that s/he is in favor of abortion personally. It means that s/he doesn't believe in governmental intervention of a woman's body. It means that the voter recognizes scenarios in which a safe abortion may be a better alternative to bearing the baby (ie, in the case of rape).
I have family members who are distinctively pronounced Republican Conservatives, and some who are vehement Liberal Democrats. I respect them all. Choosing a political party is an awesome right granted to us. But when folks begin to judge the other party with cruel invectives and inappropriately skewed (and sometimes false) claims, I have to say I no longer respect you. Some of the comments I have read and heard as of late are of a bullying nature. I was recently informed that my voting for a Democrat made me favor "death and the enemy" instead of "life and the lord." This comment is mean. You don't know me or my religious beliefs. I'm not an agnostic, and, guess what, a lot of people who lean to the left are not!
I am a voter who tends to gear my priorities toward social issues. I am a teacher, a public servant, who will never make a lot of money. Issues of the economy don't concern me too much when, frankly, neither candidate has a totally feasible plan. Both seem pie- in- the- sky. The financial issues are what they are because of years and years of various fiscal conditions and happenings; neither party is fully to blame, and neither can fix it entirely. Thus, I tend to think about our lives as citizens of the US-- what we can do legally, and what our everyday existence can or will entail. The rigmarole over taxes does matter, yes, but, really, taxes won't be very different a year from now no matter who wins. What I DO care about are the rights of the people around me: specifically, the right to a contented life, with benefits and privileges granted equally regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or race. The idea that some folks want to keep loving, committed people from marrying is more than absurd to me: it is anti- American. And refusing to allow for science to advance via stem cell research-- this seems ignorant. Finally, preventing a woman from regulating her body is, to me, intrusive and totalitarian. I cannot often support conservative candidates for these reasons. Yet, I am a God- fearing, respectful individual who can only imagine that conservatives take their value set as seriously as I do. And so while I disagree, I will not fear- monger, or call them names, or make them feel like non- citizens. That's my political soap- box, and as I watch Mabel grow, I only hope to instill in her a basic respect for others, no matter if she chooses to go left or right.
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