If you asked me to give you a personal social/political profile, I'd tell you I'm a right wing, grassroots, get your hands off my business and stop freaking out about global warming conservative. I think eating meat is OK, and I come from a family who has served in the armed forces.
Then I came to Australia, where most people think in America, people get murdered all the time and people solve their problems by shooting things. In Australia, people have "half-flush" options on their toilets and recycle bins that are bigger than trash bins. Their country is still under the authority of the British Commonwealth, though the Queen of England doesn't do much but visit occasionally and smile from her place on Australian currency.
Thursday night, we gathered with friends to play games, eat dinner and yak about everything from YouTube to international travel to Jesus and war. The pacifism conversation came up, and I told them I wasn't in the pacifist camp. They were kindly appalled. We fleshed it out a little, pulling references from the Old Testament and creating hypothetical scenarios under which violent action would be OK. What about Nazi Germany? What if someone was beating up a child? What if an intruder broke into your house? I told them if I had to pick a side, I would be pro-action, but I have reservations about both sides. Do something violent or do nothing at all. Winning options all around.
Last night, SG and I went to a barbie as a post-camp celebration. I borrowed SG's reusable grocery bag, put on my Chacos and skipped (literally) down the hill to the store where I bought vegetables. Someone call the doctors, Sunshine's starting to sound like a hippie. I was feeling pretty green, let me tell you. I wasn't sure if that was a good feeling or not. I think conservatives, unfortunately, often avoid being environmentally conscious because it means agreeing with liberals. I'll let you in on a little secret: just because you agree with liberals on taking care of the earth God put us on doesn't mean you have to agree with them on everything.
As I thought about it, it made sense in my economically wired brain.
I was walking - not spending money on gas for the car or putting mileage on the car, also investing in my health and lowering potential doctor's bills.
I took my own bag - no one likes dumps/tips/landfills, and I sure don't want my kids to grow up in a place where they take up most of the landscape.
I bought vegetables - SG and I like good food, and good veggies are just cheaper than good meat, another investment in health and lowering the potential doctor's bills.
So sure, I still eat meat sometimes, and I still feel proud of the way my family and others have served to protect our country, I would even probably buy a gun. What I am learning is, the unexamined life is not worth living (you'll have to thank a Greek for that pithy proverb). Just because I'd say I'm a Republican doesn't mean everything Republicans believe is aligned with the Gospel and everything Democrats believe is a lie. I'm even friends with some of those left-leaning people! They're fun! If what you believe is right, it should hold up to testing. If it doesn't, don't waste your time with ideas that don't hold water. Don't be afraid to examine and reconsider, refer to the previous sentence.
Love and politics,
Little Miss Sunshine
No comments:
Post a Comment