Family Values

I wish someone would have told me before I had children that the condition of the world would keep me up nights. It's the day after "Super Tuesday," and it looks like the Republican party are on the fast track to nominating a reality TV star and fascist for president. Here at home, our state legislature is busy with "English only" bills and legislation to prohibit the teaching of climate change in our schools.

I was lamenting this on Facebook, and opined that I thought Trump supporters must not love their children. (I'm a champion of Bernie Sanders.) A friend replied that Sanders' supporters must teach their kids to whine and cry until they get what they want.

Which has me thinking about the values I do want to teach my kids.

Here's a first shot at it.

1. I want to teach them that fear is natural and that bravery is not the absence of fear, but overcoming it.
2. I want to teach them that neither money nor power make one wise.
3. I want to teach them that knowledge is always superior to ignorance — even when it causes us pain.
4. I want to teach them that compassion for others is not weakness and that action should follow compassion.
5. I want to teach them to pity the ignorant, the hate-filled, and the bully — and to regard them with caution, but not fear.
6. I want to teach them that human liberty is one of the greatest achievements of our species, that it has been purchased at a great price, and that the work to expand it to all and ensure it for ourselves never ceases.
7. I want to teach them that all humanity are our brothers and sisters and that our family tree branches out to encompass the entire cosmos.
8. I want to teach them that creativity and hard work are not always rewarded by others, but that they are often reward enough in themselves.
9. I want to teach them the difference between power and strength, schooling and education, aggression and bravery, riches and wealth.
10. I want to teach teach them that life is unimaginably brief and that we have no real knowledge of anything following it. Live accordingly.

I'll probably also teach them that bourbon, rock-and-roll, and fat-bottomed girls are about the best things going on this old planet — but I'm sure they'll learn that on their own.