Why are you a Democrat?
What makes you vote for the Democratic ticket on Election Day? What made you decide that just voting for progressive Democrats is not enough - that you also need to volunteer for the Obama campaign or for other progressives running in your area?
Perusing through the 99 diaries I have written before today, I realized that, in my year and a half here, I've never really discussed what it is that has molded my belief system - why it is I am a progressive Democrat. So I decided to use my 100th diary entry to offer a few thoughts on what I value, and how my values have shaped my worldview.
To me, being a Democrat is not about supporting this policy or opposing this action. Yes, I do hold most of the same stances as most Democrats when it comes to important issues of the day. I opposed the Iraq War before it started. I support healthcare for all. I believe in regulations for corporations. Dependence on foreign oil? Bad. Corruption? Bad. Regressive tax policy? Bad. Higher pay for teachers? Good. Diplomacy? Good. The right to form and join unions? Good.
But having these opinions hardly has anything to do with my being a progressive Democrat. It's why I hold these positions that has led me in my young life to call myself a liberal Democrat.
Each of us has our own unique set of values, molded by our own unique set of experiences. Our values are formed by the lessons we learn from parents, teachers, clergy. They come from our interactions with our friends, co-workers, and distant relatives we only meet at family reunions or weddings. They also come from events of the world around us, such as a neighbor dying suddenly, a local factory closing, or September 11.
But every time I stop to think about the values that guide me, they all lead back to one word.
Respect.
What, then, are those values of which I speak - values which lead back to respect? Here is a look at the tip of the iceberg.
Why do I support access to health coverage for all citizens? Because I value compassion.
I also value responsibility. I believe that all of us - humans, corporations, the like - must act in a responsible manner to one another. Thus, I support regulating carbon emissions, making our country energy independent, and diplomacy over militarism.
I value truth, and I understand that the best society is one where people understand the truth and seek it out when necessary. It is also why I believe in the importance of educating everyone, and that education is not merely about being able to determine the number of degrees in the corners of a polygon or the atomic number of each element on the Periodic Table, but in the ability to think for oneself. For those reasons I support strengthening our public education system, and I oppose deception and lies in all their forms.
Compassion, responsibility, truth... they all lead back to respect. As do the many other values I cherish.
I take the words "All men are created equal" to heart. Well, somewhat. All men and women are created equal.
I don't know how many of you have any religious tradition. As for me, however, my faith taught me that every human being on this planet was created in God's image, and that He loves each of us the same. And as someone who believes in Him, I would argue that those of us who love Him are called to love those He loves.
Namely, every human being on the planet.
This is especially true when you consider how fortunate you and I are. I was not born into wealth or privilege. Yet, nor was I born into poverty in Africa. I'm not in a high-rise condo, but nor do I find myself in Darfur or South Ossetia. As I said last Thanksgiving, I am not the most privileged person on the planet, but I am luckier than many.
And if there is a God, which I firmly believe there is, then I am convinced that this God loves a person born in the Republic of Georgia just as much as He loves one born in the US State of Georgia.
To value respect is to understand the importance of every human being on this planet - that each human being can make our own life richer, if only we let them.
And when people deny this very respect to others, they are in effect denying it to themselves. A person is less able to show respect when they themselves are not shown respect.
Obviously there are those whom we hold closer to our hearts than most anyone else. Yet at the same time, there are countless different ways of showing our love to other people - volunteering at the local food pantry, helping out with Special Olympics, setting up care packages to our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Respect. It's amazing how that one word sums up not only my personal values, but also why I am a Democrat.
With Democrats not being seen as a party of values, I would like to see Obama and others emphasize the importance of values in the campaign. By discussing our shared values, Democrats can connect with voters in a way Republicans have been for years.
With one slight difference, of course: We actually do value people.