Tending Joy

Back in October of 2006 some of us were kvetching about politics and I looked to see what I actually would choose, if instead of feeling so powerless I felt like I had a choice. Here's what I wrote then:

I have a preference for gentle, lawful transference of power to law-abiding, sane, intelligent, well-intentioned people who listen well to their constituents, even to the ones who disagree with them. So I prefer a clean 2008 election which produces a President who listens well to the voices of intelligent pluralism, cultural diversity, bringing this country forward into greatness. ...

I seek a visionary 2008 administration, one that resists the temptations and pressures of what has been "business as usual" in the mold of Kenneth Lay, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Wal-Mart, Halliburton ... I want a political administration that steps boldly forward toward equality for all -- regardless of creed, color, race, national origin; regardless of sexual orientation, preference, perception; regardless of gender, sex, surgical history; regardless of ability or perceived ability; regardless of height, weight, IQ, allergy; regardless of political affiliation; regardless of religion, spirituality, philosophy; regardless of suburb of upbringing or who they know. I want a political administration with the courage to stand up to the Beltway culture and say, "Enough is enough. You folks haven't been voted into office in the first place, and we're not going to do business with you beginning right now."

I seek a winner in the 2008 Presidential election who has the courage to speak the truth, the savvy and political street smarts to survive hatchet-ads and lying competition, and the humility to recognize that America is not the king of the world, humanity is not in charge of the planet, and ethical behavior is not just for Sunday morning (or any particular other moment of religious observance) but is for all the time. I seek a President who will step boldly forward to repair the world in the direction of fairplay for all, not just their friends.

After last night's debate, I happened across this writing. I notice that, at that time, I had no idea what candidate might appear for the 2008 elections. Last night I saw what could be possible if we have the political will to create the world we choose to live in.

If you care about your country, Vote. If you care about voting, Register. If you care who wins, make sure your friends are registed, too. The time to register is Right Now.

I've just been re-listening in my head to the coverage of GWBush signing into law a bill that seems to have repealed or suspended habeus Corpus, at least for non-US-citizens, at least for folks the government says are terrorists. This is not my government "of the people, for the people, and by the people." This is not "fair play and the American way" the way I learned it in gradeschool 50 years ago. This is not, come to think of it, the President I chose -- though he is, for the moment, "my President." That is, whether I like the job he's doing or not, he is indeed the one doing it.

What kind of President would I like instead? Certainly not Cheney, nor any of the others in the current line of succession. So I see I _do_ choose for George W. Bush to continue in office until the 2008 elections. (That's good to know. It allows me to stop wasting my energy being repulsed, or even very surprised, by the things he's doing that I would do differently).

I have a preference for gentle, lawful transference of power to law-abiding, sane, intelligent, well-intentioned people who listen well to their constituents, even to the ones who disagree with them. So I prefer a clean 2008 election which produces a President who listens well to the voices of intelligent pluralism, cultural diversity, bringing this country forward into greatness. In the meantime,  I choose that the 2006 elections bring into Congress a majority of sane, intelligent good listeners who believe in expanding our historical guarantees of fair due process, not limiting them; who believe passionately in the value of diversity in religious belief and practice; who have vision and prescience and have the courage to vote their guts.

I seek a visionary 2008 administration, one that resists the temptations and pressures of what has been "business as usual" in the mold of Kenneth Lay, Abu Ghraib, Guantanamo, Wal-Mart, Halliburton ... I want a political administration that steps boldly forward toward equality for all -- regardless of creed, color, race, national origin; regardless of sexual orientation, preference, perception; regardless of gender, sex, surgical history; regardless of ability or perceived ability; regardless of height, weight, IQ, allergy; regardless of political affiliation; regardless of religion, spirituality, philosophy; regardless of suburb of upbringing or who they know. I want a political administration with the courage to stand up to the Beltway culture and say, "Enough is enough. You folks haven't been voted into office in the first place, and we're not going to do business with you beginning right now."

I seek a winner in the 2008 Presidential election who has the courage to speak the truth, the savvy and political street smarts to survive hatchet-ads and lying competition, and the humility to recognize that America is not the king of the world, humanity is not in charge of the planet, and ethical behavior is not just for Sunday morning (or any particular other moment of religious observance) but is for all the time. I seek a President who will step boldly forward to repair the world in the direction of fairplay for all, not just ter friends.

And I seek a news media that focuses on passing information to the American people so we can evaluate it, releasing their temptation to tell us what to think and how to think it. I seek an advertising community that acknowledges the inappropriateness of using sophisticated psychology and technology to condition human beings to waste their time and energy buying things that are bad for us that we don't actually want in the first place. I seek a world in which we humans 'tune in' to our individual Purposes for being on planet, bring ourselves into focus, and spend our time, attention, and money on fulfilling those Purposes.

This is the world I choose to live in. May I do what it takes to bring this world to life.

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