Yesterday as I dozed on a flight from Denver, a child’s voice infiltrated my dreams.
I woke up and looked around, but saw nothing except the backs of seats and the backs of heads. Never dependent on facts to draw conclusions, my imagination provided a picture of a young family. The parents, staunch McCain supporters, read the paper and grumbled over a photo of Obama at an overflow rally and an article touting the latest polls. Kids always notice displeased parents, and since there’s not a whole lot of trouble a 6 year old can get into when he’s strapped in his seat at 30,000 feet… the kid put two and two together and asked in a voice loud enough to wake me up: “Is the bad guy winning?”
I didn’t hear what his parents said, but the fact that the kid referred to Barack Obama as “the bad guy” indicates that his parents gave him that impression. His parents sent an implicit message that when WE don’t agree with someone else’s ideas or opinions or beliefs, then THEY are bad.
Putting it mildly, I’m a “very enthusiastic” Obama supporter. Have been since I first watched him deliver the keynote address at the 2004 Democratic Nominating Convention. I proudly and hopefully cast my ballot for Obama a couple of weeks ago.
Obviously I don’t agree with a lot of what John McCain has said and done during this campaign. And don’t even get me started on Sarah Palin. But, you know what? Despite how “whack verging on incredulously unreasonable” I consider most of their positions to be, I honestly do not think of either of them as a “bad guy.” Misguided, out of touch, etc. I could go on and have… but that doesn’t make them bad people.
I leave you with a quote from Swami Rama:
Young age is the budding period of the flower of life. It needs protection so that the diverse opinions of others do not create confusion in the mind. A tender mind can be bent easily. Loving guidance and right communication is important. Parents who pay proper attention to their children can help them to pass through the adolescent period. This is the period of shaping the habits of the mind.
Whichever guy is yours… go out and vote. Your vote is your voice… make it heard. That’s a healthy message for our kids.
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Oh, I do hear you on this one! My ex and I share similar political views, however, I was chagrined when I heard our young daughter spouting off very judgmental and hateful anti-“the other side” views.
For one, she’s too young to make an informed decision, and two while I might share my views with her and tell her why, within the context of the values we hold as a family, I feel it is entirely inappropriate to pass on personal hatred and/or bigotry to a child – even for a “good cause”.
I had to sit her down and help her to see that people who hold different views from us are, indeed, people and that many are just as sincere in what they believe as we do. The challenge is to find common ground, while taking a stand, to be true to our convictions while recognizing and respecting what we share in our humanity with those who disagree.
Black and white, the world is not. This seems to be a lesson adults need to learn as much as children.
Comment by Demian~DreamSinger — November 3, 2008 @ 6:39 pm