Hi Everyone!
If you have read my posts before, you have seen that I ask a lot of questions. I think even when I was younger I asked a lot of questions (my Mom can probably attest to that!) The questions I ask here are somewhat rhetorical, but sometimes do require answers. Sometimes not easy answers or even comfortable answers. And this is where we are at today.
We, as a nation, have an extremely important day coming up soon. Election Day. Now, I'm not going to sit here and tell you who to vote for and why MY party is the better party or what this guy did that was bad or why this guy is bad...yadda yadda yadda. However, I AM going to talk about how this election has seemed to bring out the worst in people. I have seen shocking disrespect. I have read so many pieces that smack of nastiness and incivility. It's almost like people are thinking it's "ok" to behave so abhorrently because they can.
Well, I'm here to tell you you can't. Yup, put me on record as saying if you cannot say,write or produce something with civility and common courtesy, without personally attacking or insulting another human being, then you should not put it out there. Period. Call me old fashioned. Call me what you want. But I am TIRED of seeing the nastiness. It's not just from our political parties...it's even friends of mine on Facebook and relatives. They put things out there, hiding behind the "mask" of the Internet and write things that would never, EVER be acceptable to say to someone personally.
I am a firm believer that you can get your point across with civility and common courtesy. I am a Music Teacher. I say this all the time to anyone who will listen. Music is a fantastic way of putting your message out there. However, do we really NEED to use profanity to get the point across? I hear so many song lyrics that would be amazing...if not for the profanity. There has got to be another way of getting your point across.
There is a quote that I heard a while back. It goes- "If you cannot be loving you can be kind. If you cannot be kind you can be polite. If you cannot be polite, then you should go home". (Go home in this sense meaning be quiet.)
I understand completely the ramifications of another presidency with President Obama. I understand completely the ramifications of a Governor Romney presidency. They are two different visions for our country. That's the way it is. However, I do not understand watching debates with so much disrespect and lack of courtesy from two people and their staff who are vying to be the leader of the greatest nation in the world.
And if we have our leaders acting this way it's very much like the "Trickledown effect". Look at the others running for office...then look at the people promoting them...then look at your neighbors...then your friends and family. This disrespect and incivility has trickled down all the way to your backdoor. And it needs to stop.
Recently, I had a relative of mine send me a picture of First Lady Michelle Obama. She was obviously not dressed in the most "First Lady-ish" type of dress. Honestly, it was quite unattractive for an usually well put together woman. But it wasn't her outfit that shocked me. It was the caption and the description that made me angry. The title in the e-mail said "Hoochie Mama"...then the e-mail went on to personally insult the First Lady of the United States of America. Not only was it a completely lack of respect but it was racist as well. Not acceptable.
I have seen posts about "getting all the leeches" off public assistance. REALLY? Seriously? "Leeches"? So, my Mother who is getting a disability check is a leech? My Special Needs students who get Social Security are leeches? My DAUGHTER who is getting student loans from the government (public assistance!) is a LEECH? A friend who is going to school on the GI Bill because he served as a Marine is a leech? Come on people! Civility!
Then getting away from the political aspect of it all- Is it "old-fashioned" of me to expect the person in front of me to, at the very least, hold the door for me? What about holding the door for the person behind you? The excuse "I didn't see the person" is rubbish. Take the time to look and make sure you are not inadvertently being rude. That might mean being less self-absorbed. And we could ALL be a little less self-absorbed.
I have heard from people that tell me my "rules of engagement" are old-fashioned and not applicable in today's environment. I think they are wrong. Civility is always a rule to go by. Followed by Common Courtesy and then Respectfulness, Consideration and Grace.
Do I always follow these rules? No. Not by a long-shot. But do I make the attempt? Yes. Absolutely. You HAVE to. Why put yourself in the position of living with so much negativity and cynicism? Why choose pessimism over optimism? It has been proven by many studies that your state of mind affects your overall health immensely.
I like to think my "Rules of Engagement" keep me healthier.(Except in traffic!)What are YOUR "Rules of engagement"?
For the next couple of weeks before the election, I challenge each and every one of you to go through your daily lives with Civility and Common Courtesy. If you can fit some Respectfulness, Consideration and Grace in there, as well, that would be amazing. These next couple of weeks will be tense. Everyone wants their opinion heard. There will be many, many people putting "things" out there. If you are one of them, I ask you to please do it with Civility and Common Courtesy.
As always, thanks for reading!! Be healthy, Eat well and be happy!!
Until next time...
