I’ve been staring at this empty Word document, trying to figure out where to start. There are more debates going on than I know what to do with: Gay marriage, religion, the war in Iraq, the environment, whether President Bush is an alien — you get the idea.
Growing up, I always thought I was well-read. I knew politics, literature, film, art, poetry and all the wonderful complexities of the world and I could eloquently (for a 15-year-old) discuss them all.
When I arrived on campus this fall, honestly, I was excited. Come on, you know you were too. I had, for the time being, reached my destination. All the years prepping for graduation with CIMs, SATs and AP exams were finally over and the result was: College. Away from my family, I could live “independently” and I finally chose the direction of my education and my life, with only minimal interference from the administration.
I always adored talking with people who were different from me. There are many different kinds of people here in Eugene: Old hippies, post-teenyboppers, progressive environmentalists, religious and/or political conservatives, intellectuals, etc. I more or less assumed this interest in other people was natural and shared by others.
Now I’m not so sure.
I attended the recent PunkVoter rally and thought it was entertaining. The speakers were funny, though not the most qualified people to discuss politics. They related to the majority of the University population. I enjoyed listening until they began throwing insults at the Bush-adoring group gathered near University Street. To clarify, I’m not a fan of Bush and I don’t support his politics. However, I’m not sure I’m a fan of the Democrats or “liberals” either. Politics have truly turned into a frightening ring match, with both sides exchanging blows regarding values and parentage. There is anger in both groups, and rightly so. Terrorism, unemployment and budget shortages are terrible things. However, personally attacking a group of individuals is unacceptable behavior for a political debate. If you want to fix something, come up with a plan with points, a timeline and feasible means of support.
Blanket statements by both groups are only creating tension and frustration.
God has been mentioned quite a bit lately in these debates. There has always been a God struggle. One group saying He supports them, another group lashing back, playing an eternal tug-of-war with the Almighty. Perhaps there is nothing there at all, and we’re simply fighting over the idea that we are better than someone else. Both sides are forgetting an important message, one that not only Christianity, but all world religions support: Love. Not romantic, lovey-dovey love. Love of humanity — friendship and support.
As it says in the Bible, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails; And now these three remain: Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”