So, random thoughts for this election week:
In case anyone wondered, politically I am staunchly Independent (i.e. don't like to be lumped in with any particular party, since I don't 100% agree with any of them), but lean Libertarian. It is funny to me that I have friends who are conservative, Republican, Democrat, Leftist--and most of them talk to me as if they assume I have the same political convictions they do! Seriously--we will be chatting and they will throw out comments that are totally offensive, like suggesting anyone who votes ____ is a complete moron, and the whole time I'm thinking, if only you knew. I think only a few people really know how I label myself, and all the better for it.
Esp. on facebook.
I'm really happy the election is over. I was actually really surprised Tues night and woke up a little depressed Weds morning. I had debated getting political over here, but decided facebook was bad enough. ; ) I try not to post divisive or partisan things on fb, but did post things that I hoped would encourage people to look past stereotypes and lies (yes, the media was all PANTS ON FIRE for months there, about pretty much every candidate and every thing you could possibly vote on) and vote with honesty and reason and open-mindedness and thoughfulness.
Like the following pic, which I posted with this comment last week:
I absolutely love seeing people vote with their hearts and minds, regardless of what they have voted in the past, or what people expect of them. I wish our political system would encourage more free thinking and less herd mentality!
pic attributed to Chris L. Lotto on fb
And one of my fb friends, J, kinda got all up on me for the small print in the pic, and so I clarified:
I shared the pic not to claim support for any particular stance on Israel, but because I so seriously enjoy people thinking outside of the two-party political ghettos it feels like Americans are constantly being shoved into. I don't care who you vote for, and have friends who are voting all kinds of ways--I just loathe people voting unthinkingly along party lines. So anyone demonstrating they are using their own intelligence, reason, and best judgement in their voting earns my respect, even if I disagree with their final choice.
It was a little sad for me having my friend get all tense about me seeming to support the message behind the photo instead of just enjoying its wonderful, unexpected juxtaposition of cultural expectations. This is not the first time J has been critical of my suspected politics on fb, and this guy was someone I was really good friends with in high school, and whom I always wanted to think I was cool. I guess now I realize he thinks I am definitely uncool. ; ) So, a little sadness there--I liked him sooooo much (not in a romantic way at all, esp. since he had a crush on one of my BF's) and he used to like me, and I have such good memories with him, and now somehow we ended up fb friends and it's just awkwardness.
As I processed that in the shower last night, I realized that he is one of those people who, politically, I will never agree with--not because of who he votes for, but because he has the "elite" mindset that drives me crazy, and has only contempt for those who vote on the other end of the spectrum from himself. He will likely never, ever be able to vote anything other than his party line, because he is so entrenched in it. That is the only political perspective I have a hard time respecting--because what good is your mind, are your values, if you don't actually wrangle with the things and parties you are voting for or against? You end up just a tool of somebody else's mindset and values.
And my friend J is also elitist in his religious views, and cannot fathom how any least-bit-intelligent person could believe in God, esp. the long-ago-proven-dead God of the Christian faith. He is probably completely astounded and disgusted whenever I mention God or Jesus. I even mentioned Satan on my fb page the other day--and afterwards cringed at how J's eyes would likely bug out of his head at that. I mean, you can roll your eyes at mention of God and snort with disbelief at mention of Jesus, but to actually mention Satan, and suggest he is active in the world?!! File that one away under religious WACKO.
And I realized, again with sadness, that if we knew each other IRL, maybe we would not be friends. I have some UBER lefty friends on fb, who I do see IRL, and their political postings (pants on fiiiiiiiiirrrrrrrreeeee) made me start to skip over their posts and not even read them. But yet, I noticed those friends were some of the first to "like" photos of my kids, or to say positive things about non-political shares. And I knew I was purposefully doing the same to their non-political shares--or even the political ones that I could get on board with. We were all affirming the person behind the political views, and affirming our ability to separate the two.
attributed to Erika Metzler Sawin on fb
That's the way it should be.
My moment of political transparency and vulnerability now: I honestly do not understand why our nation re-affirmed confidence in our President. The future of our nation looks so dire from here, and the things that make so much sense to me (fiscal responsibility, for starters) just don't seem to be a part of what is important to half of our nation. (Susan, if you read this, I am requesting a phone date soon. I don't know who you voted for, but know from our past conversations that you can see both sides almost better than anyone I know, and can help me see the logic--the hope.) I'm not upset our President won the re-election if a (teensy-weensy) majority of our nation believes he is the best person for the job; I'm just surprised that he did and they do and would like to understand the vision for our nation that the other half of the country sees we are headed towards. I'm sure they think it is a good place.
The cynical part of me also does not remember so much "let's all get along" stuff posted on fb when George Bush won his re-election. I just remember all the negativity. I'm tempted to think some places on the political spectrum tend to encourage more graceful losing than others. . .
But I am trying not to be cynical. I'm trying to love people despite how they use politics as a tool of disunity, of belittling, of downright self-righteous malice. I'm truly glad there is so much good-spirited stuff being shared around facebook now. I hope those who have bruised hearts will be encouraged. I hope those who have been bullies and badgerers will soften and even repent. I hope I will never forget how I feel at this moment, and have greater compassion for my friends who may have felt this way in 2004 and who might feel this way in 2016 (; p). I hope I will not be afraid to be myself on fb, on this blog, in the world, but also that God would show me how to be an instrument for His Good and Perfect purposes in all those arenas. Esp. to be a voice of love and reason!
So, whoever you voted for--good for you for voting! Thank you for having a voice for what you believe is best for our country. I'm so glad you come by my little cozy blog, and I hope you always feel welcome and safe.
(And anyone who wants to leave a comment, please feel free! But please also do so in the spirit of that last image. : )
I don't know how you do it. I imagine that the area in which you live could be downright hostile to Christians, especially Christians who live out their faith and are conservative in their values. I could just be thinking your area is different than it really is.
ReplyDeleteI've always been sort of glad I'm not on Facebook so that I could avoid these political discussions. For the short time I was on there I found myself engaging with people and having hard feelings. But, alas, the drama seems to follow me everywhere!
I'm sort of like you in my leanings. Don't fit well into one party. I have just as many gripes about the Republicans as I do Democrats. People just assume that because I am a conservative Christian that I vote Republican all the time and it is frustrating. I vote for my values.
Thanks for this today. These words are helpful as I am spending some time searching the ways I can continue to speak my truth (and hopefully God's Truth in the process) without being hurtful to others. I like the second to last picture you shared - promote what you love instead of bashing what you hate. I feel like I try to do that, but maybe I need to do a gut check. I fear though, that even if I am simply promoting what I love there are always going to be people that are offended and feel judged. Some people aren't comfortable with others promoting their faith-based values. I need to be strong enough to realize that that is their problem and not mine.
Thanks for the food for thought this morning!
Remember our conversation about what our FB feeds looked like and IRL communities looked like? How we were the minorities in each? I think that the perceived response to elections past and present is affected by this. I remember far less lashing out after Bush's reelection - but that was probably because I lived in a place that was happy about it! I live in a place that is very unhappy about this election and my FB feed leans that way as well - so I am seeing/hearing plenty of negativity…though it isn't too bad.
ReplyDeleteAs we have talked about before - it comes down to
1. what you think the purpose of a government is
2. What you feel the government's top priorities should be (not for the country but your personal top issues)
This pretty much brings out the differences immediately - without use of political labels! The thing is, this is about opinion. It is about prioritizing. I don't think anyone is WRONG for believing what they do. I may not AGREE with them but I would never tell them they are wrong. That's what drove me crazy about this election cycle…it is not about wrong or right, it is about choosing a different path than the other.
Anyway..would love to talk soon!
Yes, it is so funny to consider that we happen to live in the most conservative town in our county (we don't actually live in Santa Cruz, but I don't say the name of our nearby small town for privcy), but that's not saying much because it is one of the most liberal counties in the whole US! I saw on a state map after the election that 21% of Santa Cruz county voted for Romney and 75% voted for Obama! That's one of the highest percentages of any place in the nation (although I know there were higher--I saw the county that contains Hartford, CN voted 93% for Obama) So yes, it is true that most of the people I know likely voted for Obama. But none of them have ever voiced to me any specific, compelling reason to vote for our President again; in fact, most of them expressed disappointment in how he did. So that makes me think they are not crazy about him as President, and just voted their usual party lines.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, this is an area that is very hostile to Christianity. (Which is why our church body thriving here is so cool--lots of people who are normally very anti-Christian are ok with our church, or even like to hang out in the coffeeshop or come for the free concerts)
But see, my Republican friends too assume I am naturally coming from their side--likely because as you said I am a Christian homeschooling stay-at-home-mom. Aren't we all Republican? ; )
I wrote this piece and then after posting it went over and saw what you had posted--so I did not write it in response to your own writings, but how timely that you and I are both thinking some of the same things and wondering about the same issues, of being most loving in our God-given virtual spheres. In fact, re-reading this, I hope my liberal friends and relations who might stop by are not put off by my honesty--I hope they don't lump me into some group in their minds that they distain.
Because, see, it is when people are around me in real life that they are comfortable with me, and clearly feel safe and understood enough to assume I have the same political leanings they do! What a compliment! But when those same people aren't around me for a while, like my family who lives far away, will they start to think differently of me, make assumptions that put up psychological barriers between us. . . my friend J does not know me IRL, since I have not seen him since sometime in college. I am unfathomable to him, I am sure, and not worth knowing. I am sure we are just fb friends because he is a nice guy and does not want to hurt my feelings by un-friending me. ; ) But I hope my liberal relations are not thinking the same. . . I do care how they view me, because I love them. I know you understand.
So glad you directed me to your comment trapped in the spam folder, Susan. I was glad to read it! I appreciate the way you reframed the discussion--but while I agree that most people do vote in the way you say, they also too often vote along party lines just because. And are WAY too rude about others thinking differently. It sounds like you and I completely agree on respecting people who vote differently than we would--must be why I so enjoy talking about difficult things with you. : )
ReplyDelete