Parental Guidance Gets Political

You have your father’s eyes, your mother’s nose, and their political views too!
Unfortunately, many kids just parrot their parents when it comes to politics and world events issues.
While it is respectful to listen to your parents, and it is wise to learn from them, it is ignorant to formulate opinions based only on their views of the world.
Many of my friends love President Bush and loathe the democrats. Are they infuriated with the democrats’ efforts to end the war? Maybe they love Bush for the AIDS program he is supporting in Africa that will care for an expected 10 million people.
My friends do not have the facts to back their opinions. All they know is their parents support one party and have one view therefore they do too.
Do not get me wrong, I have a lot to learn from my parents and I agree with some of their opinions on national and world events. I do think it is unwise to be against a political party or people of a different race or ethnic background because that is what you hear at home.
Opinions should not be hereditary.
Moreover, while you should listen to your parents and their views, you should view the world for yourself - you can formulate and argue well-educated opinions too.
If you read the papers, know what is going on in the world and still agree with your parents, that is great and I respect that. What irks me is when my friends argue with me over political and current events when they do not know the facts and just assume the perspectives or prejudices of their parents.
When my friend told me she did not like democrats, I asked her why? “Well, I just don’t like them,” was her reply.
I pressed on.
“But why don’t you like them?”
“Because they are democrats and my parents are republicans.”
My mom and I were passing time on a long road trip by having a lively political debate about the democratic presidential contenders.
On Barack Obama - he is on fire! I think that Obama is just the fresh, culturally seasoned pick of the batch of candidates that America needs right now. He understands how important foreign affairs are and could help us mend our reputation abroad.
He understands the plight of the poor since he was an activist in the poorer communities of Chicago, and he has not been in the cliquish realm of national politics long enough to be entangled in the old bureaucratic traditions.
My mom cuts into my praise of Obama - “But Meredith, while it is true he is a respectable guy, he has only served one term in the Senate. He is too inexperienced to fill the prestigious role of the president. He is probably campaigning to put his name out there so he can gain credibility as a political heavyweight.”
“Good point mom,” I replied. “However, I still think Obama’s level of experience could work for him. America is stuck in a rut and a new take on things could be just what we need. Besides, with a rotating Clinton-Bush legacy, I would hardly say that democracy is operating to its fullest.”
I approach my parents’ views with a hint of skepticism and a load of respect. If we all take after our parents on everything, where will that leave us when it is our turn to be in charge in the world?
It is a cycle of ignorance if we have an unexplainable, poorly grounded opinion justified only by “well, that is what my parents told me.” Parents should teach their kids to accept and tolerate other opinions and views so they can see all sides and perspectives of a situation.
Kids should approach the world with an inquisitive desire and look at everything with an open mind and a challenging stance. I am my mother’s daughter but I am also my own person. I have her perspective on some things but I also have an outlook all my own.