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I’m sure I’m only writing this to protest the endless presidential campaign — a campaign in which it’s been impossible to favor one candidate for very long without buying into reasons to despise the opposition. Or have you forgotten how, long before the distant time when Obama and McCain both seemed like pretty good guys, Democrats were rejoicing that their field of candidates was so strong — Clinton, Obama, et al — that they’d happily support whoever wound up with the nomination? Apparently there’s only one way to make a hard choice — turn it into an easy choice by demonizing one of the alternatives and everyone who supports it.
The binary thinking at work here: that what’s right for children is wrong for their grandparents. In fact, children hate being called “dear” and “sweetie” and “good girl” just as much as the elderly. Don’t set them up as alternatives. Everyone at any age has pride. Everyone knows when they’re being talked down to.
