Standing For, Not Against

So much of the past few months has seen American’s consumed with standing against the other party, the other person, the other candidate, the other idea.  We’ve been so busy standing against, in my case, McCain and Palin, that we risk not being able to stand for our choices, for our beliefs, for our values.

Throughout today I’ve been reminded of this.  A co-worker said something about Palin and I immediately started in on how she was unqualified, incompetent and smug.   He started in on why Obama was a liar.  And then he stopped himself.   “We can’t even say why we’re for our guy.  Do we even support him?  Or is it just that he’s not the other guy?”   Fortunately, I could say why, but I am much better versed in the why not of McCain/Palin than I am in the why Obama/Biden.

And tonight we watched Bill Maher’s panel from last week.   Matt Dowd, former Bush-Cheney strategist, cautioned that McCain has lost his rudder; he’s become what ever he needed to become to win.  And in so doing, reminded us of the danger in not knowing who you are and what you believe in.

Email from my friend Ricca this evening proclaimed: 

Lets stop fighting against McCain and Palin, and start working ‘for’ Obama-Biden. Lets stop driving ourselves crazy with all of the outrageous mind upsetting details about them and start remembering all of the wonderful reasons we want Obama.

And then my sister Gail sent an email titled, simply, Wisdom.  Watch it.

Then get a cup of tea, a glass of wine, call a friend and share what you believe in.  Share what you will stand for.  Share what you believe in and what you see in them.