I hate politics. I hate conflict. Therefore I find it hard to participate in political discussions these days. It’s a very complicated game. It seems like no one can just simply do the right thing for others – there’s just so much vying for personal attention, praise, and glory. Out of two to four years in office, politicians spend half of that convincing people to vote for them again and not their opponents. Maybe Harriet Miers wasn’t qualified for the job, but it didn’t seem like anyone on either side could just come out and say it – they had to personally attack her and each other instead. I just don’t get it. Where are the grown ups in this line of work?
This is not an example I want to pass on to my kids. That is why the book Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under my Bed by Katharine DeBrecht troubles me. On the one hand, I appreciate that someone has simplified and clarified a bit of the disagreements between the major political views, but that’s from my aversion to look at the warring parties to figure it out for myself. I do think that people should have the freedom to take care of themselves. I think they should be encouraged and taught how to do so if they have grown up in adverse circumstances. And I don’t think the government should become the surrogate parent. I’d even like to have a bumper sticker that reads “The government is not your mother” or “The government is not God” on my car. But when I read this book, I get the feeling of two divorced parents using the kids to fight against each other.
My 12yob and 10yog read the book and they think it’s curiously funny, like watching two adults wrestle in the mud. I’m not sure I want to promote such images in their eyes. Although the author doesn’t call anyone in the book by their real names, my kids knew who was who. The characters in the books are caricatures of real people and the major parties in the political arena. I used the book to tell the kids that labeling ourselves Liberal or Conservative these days is not what matters. Neither extreme is perfect. I’ve read enough history to know that many times Liberals have served to be the champion of the people. They have done much good for our country. But recently it seems just the opposite – almost inside out. Like the ones in power just use what echos of honorable compassion are left to accuse and blame the other party and co-dependently try to fix everything themselves for their own glory. It only furthers their resentment. And the pendulum will only continue to swing like this. By the time my kids are grown, the Conservatives may be the moon bats.
The two extremes used to hold each other in check which provided a middle road for the nation where the original spirit of the Constitution served as a sort of monorail track through history. These days, the two factions continue to polarize our nation. I feel like it’s splitting our country. There’s no more stable center for either side to cling to. This book made me aware that I’d like to see the political system dismantled and restored to its solid objective foundation. But I don’t think training our children to ridicule the other side will accomplish that.
Note: This book was given to me free of charge by the publisher through Mind and Media for the purpose of this review.
