Not in My Country II

A lot was said here yesterday. I’m sure there are those among you who don’t agree with me. That’s OK. In my country we are free to be different and to think differently. It enriches our lives to experience this diversity. It stretches meaning. It allows us to be more.

As I think on the Idea of America I get this sense of a mass of people who endure through thick and thin to achieve great things. A people who believe in each other. We don’t always trust one another, but believe in each other? Yes; I think that is a true statement.

America is an idea rather than a place. That idea allows us to be whatever we want to be, to pursue whatever dream makes sense to you or me or us. America wants you to strive and become whatever it is you see as your future.

We have only one caveat: Do not harm anyone else. Another way of stating this is the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you.” Pretty basic stuff. Sane. Sensible. Just. Fair. Also a fair basis upon which to treat others and hold expectations as to how they will treat you. Justice. Fairness.

When I see injustice occur in plain view I feel revulsion. Sometimes the unfairness is so gross as to nearly cause me to vomit. It is that basic. Is it for you?

Election campaigns raise this issue for me most of the time. You know the TV ads that simply are not based on fact but rather emotion. They want you to see the target of their ad as almost holy or evil. One or the other.

I’m thinking that all political ads should be positive, not negative. Each ad should tell me about their candidate and what he or she hopes to accomplish if elected. It should have nothing to say about the other candidate. Nothing. The press has a role to fact check. And woe to the campaign who handles truth lightly or falsely. The press should hammer them soundly on all such occasions. The rest of the time candidates should tout their beliefs and priorities as they affect the voters.

If candidates have nothing positive to say about themselves, then they should not be allowed to say anything negative about the other candidate. A simple rule. If the press has something important to say it needs to say it. Otherwise, keep mum!

Every election should be about issues and leadership. It should not be about negative attacks and spun truth and facts.

If we were to graduate to this level of maturity in political matters, I feel certain that most of us would regain a healthy respect for government and its processes.

After all. This is my country. And yours. What do we want it to stand for? Justice or garbage? It’s really our choice. I know how I’m voting. You?

November 3, 2012