Do You Hate Your Neighbor?
Mar 24th, 2010 by Timothy Pancoast
So you have a neighbor that is a Tea Partier or a 9-12er. This is not a hypothetical, you do. It is a fact that there are people that have rallied against the health care bill, against Cap n Trade, and against amnesty for illegal immigrants, and for 2nd Amendment rights in every county. You know some of them. My question is; do you hate them?
If you do, America faces a bigger challenge than health care, global warming, or illegal immigration. If you don’t than we can still succeed as a nation.
Now I have to ask the same of the Tea Partiers and 9-12’ers. You have a neighbor, probably more than one that supports President Obama’s agenda. They may do it without knowing what is going on or they may actually be a progressive. Do you hate them?
I have a problem personally. I haven’t come to the point where I hate progressives, but I don’t understand them, and I certainly can’t stand by and let them execute an agenda I disagree with. The only thing that helps me survive is that I know some progressives and communists as people as friends outside of their political views. When not speaking about politics I have always seen them as good, decent people, even friends.
I have one request. Hate the politics all you want, but please find a way to love your neighbor. Don’t be violent, don’t be mean, or obnoxious, and don’t try to kill them with kindness, or tell them they should not be frustrated and that everything is peachy-keen. If you do you will only provoke their frustrations and dissatisfaction, and if you were ever friends you probably don’t really want to provide the impetus that leads them to become your enemy. Simply treat them with the same respect and neighborliness that you did before their political leanings were known and mattered to you. If you can reconcile the differences in your politics and be friends than that is great, if not than try to cut the politics out of the picture and get to know them as a person again.
Some thoughts on what neighbors can do to stay united and friendly in spite of the political climate.
- Have a block party (keep it a politics free zone)
- Join the neighborhood watch. Let your neighbors know that you’ve got their back and learn to trust that they will do the same for you.
- Go outside, walk, do yard work, play games with your family and friends outdoors, and talk with your neighbors.
- Work together with them on yard work or home improvement projects.
- Take time to talk to your neighbors about each other’s families. Try to remember and discuss the things that you do have in common and can enjoy together.
- Look around and see what you come up with to become a better part of your community. You will know best what you can do.
Save your neighborhood and your country. Be a good friend and neighbor.
Maybe we need a Delaware Politics Family Festival. Debate don’t hate.
Sorry guys, when some one us hell bent on ruining the country with record spending, more taxes and less freedom I have a hard time playing nice.
Obama is clearly the worst President since Independence.
Mike Protack
I am not suggesting that you put on kiddy gloves when you go out to debate, though it wouldn’t hurt to keep ad hominem attacks to a minimum. I am saying that we need to make sure our neighbors know that there is more than just politics coursing through our veins. I hope we can see the same in them as well. In general we are decent human beings. We may believe differently concerning politics, but we are more than just our political arguments. We can hate our neighbor’s politics while still being a decent neighbor.
As a side bennefit, if our neighbors see us as decent people they may think twice when the media or their elected officials tell them we are evil, vile, homophobic, racists that want them to get sick and die. When they see us helping out others in our neighborhoods and genuinely carring about people, it will be harder for them to believe it when reports say that we don’t care if their children get sick, or that we hate the poor.
I am just asking people to be more than their political positions.
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Here is the idiocy of Obama.
Slip and fall lawyers went unscathed in the health care bill but now if you get a tan, you pay a tax or if you use a valuable medical device there is 2.3% tax?
Go figure.
Mike Protack