Thought my readers might be getting tired of reading about what we had for lunch each day or how many loads of laundry I did so here’s something different!!
Reading through the blogs this morning I came across a post on Muffy’s Marks about Cadbury Eggs at Easter time. The below quote was attached to one of the “egg” comments and the comment belonged to a blogger called Auntie Sezzzzz.
"I never considered a difference of opinion
in politics, in religion, in philosophy,
as cause for withdrawing from a friend."
~~Thomas Jefferson
I love this quote and hope that my speech and actions mirror these words. Our small community has become divided by politics in recent years, ugly divided. And I hate it!! Even families aren’t speaking to other family members. Friends aren’t friends anymore.
What happened to politeness and good manners? What happened to respect? What happened to differences of opinion and respecting the right to have that different opinion?
I’ve been known recently to ask guests in our home to leave their politics at the door. I’ve been known to interrupt a political rant in our home with a very bland, benign question such as, “gee, Tom, where did you get that gorgeous shirt?” If the conversation is making people uncomfortable, bored or angry, time to change the subject!
Now, we’ve had some rousing political discussions in the homes of friends, initiated by the host and hostess when they were sure of the political persuasion of all their guests. It was fun and interesting, a totally different situation.
It is the same in blog land. If someone leaves a comment with an opinion different than mine that’s OK. If someone leaves a nasty comment with a differing opinion—that’s different—they make a “delete” button for those and this blog writer doesn’t hesitate to use the “delete” button!
Again, what happened to politeness, respect and good manners?
I hope I never discard a friendship due to politics or religion! Ever!!
A rainbow over the West Boulder mountains this morning—beautiful!