I know that there are people who disagree with these decisions, and I hope we will all make an effort to talk openly and civilly about our different thoughts and opinions. Perhaps the group most likely to dig in their heels is middle-aged and older straight white men, who naturally value the status quo and may often feel threatened in their traditionally dominant position. We need to care about them just as we ask them to care about other genders and races in untraditional ways.
I also hope we can talk a lot about Bernie Sanders, who could bring together a lot of us who never thought we’d agree on anything. He’s from New York City but lives in the rural state of Vermont, where people hunt and fish and value their privacy and independence, not unlike us Montanans. He’s “old” and white but has worked for human equality all of his life and has considerable experience in politics at various levels. He’s Jewish but not Israeli, which could have ramifications for the mess in the Middle East.
Most important of all to me is that he has good solid common sense and financially is like the great middle class in this country. He’s even running for President without taking money from big corporations. Talk about revolution!
But revolution in the best sense, I think: returning us to a society where we all pretty much leave each other alone but also clearly care that we all have the opportunity to pursue happiness and are willing and even honored to contribute to the common good. Isn’t that how this country started out?
Let’s talk.
Mary Fahnestock-Thomas
Hamilton