INTERDEPENDENT
INTERDEPENDENT
When I was younger, I called myself a liberal. But as I grew older, I realized that some liberals could be just as self-righteous and obnoxious as some people who call themselves conservative. It was all about the “I am right,” “you are wrong” game which is one of the worse games people can play. If you carry it to the extreme, it is OK to kill people you don’t like. I don’t want to play that game. So what does that make me? A moderate. A progressive. A Centrist. I would often describe myself as a liberal with a conservative streak. By liberal I mean a forward looking, inclusive, open-minded problem solver for the greatest good. By conservative, I mean a respecter of tradition and history who is cautious about change. My politics is a mix of both of these.
I came to think of myself as a spiritual and political “interdependent.” My faith and my politics are based on values, not creeds or ideologies. I support civil liberties and oppose racism and sexism, not because of politics but because I love justice. My values are respect for all people. Respect for the Earth. Respect for all religious traditions, cultures, genders, and races. Respect for learning and knowledge including art, music, literature, philosophy, theology, science and athletics. Sometimes I fall short but I, to the best of my ability, let my higher values and the sacredness of life, lead me on. It’s a rocky road.
