We invite you to join us in encouraging respectfulness in our nation.
America was founded on the blood of martyrs who gave their all to create
a nation in which people could be free to disagree about religion,
politics, and all manner of ideas. These rights were to be preserved by
putting power into the hands of the people: among others, the power to share dissenting ideas, the powers to elect and depose leaders, and the power
of firearms so that each citizen could prevent any person or government
from trying to deny him or her of inalienable rights. America, from
its roots, has had spirited disagreements. Spirited disagreements allow
all the important information to be viewed, making for a better end
result. And what a great government we have been handed! We must
preserve it and pass it on as a burning torch to the next generation.
As
you can see, we at I Protect the USA support the sharing of ideas freely. However, we sense
a growing negative spirit, especially in cyberspace. We notice a high
rate of name-calling and put-downs. Put-downs go beyond saying, "I
disagree with your opinion, and here's my opinion." Put-downs say, "I disrespect you and I attack you verbally." This strategy often inflames
the anger of the other person and makes it more difficult to come to a
mutual understanding and agreement. This creates a negative war of
words and little positive effect. This doesn't help America progress. We suggest the following if you want
to create an America with more positive feelings and greater ability to
resolve conflict (in order of priority):
1) Love and respect your
children, especially focusing on filling them with joy during the first 5
years of life. Children who are consistently treated with love and
respect naturally grow up to love and respect others. Notice how you treat them and talk to them. Does it feel positive? Treating children better is the most crucial priority for creating a better world.
2)
Help others love their children. Speak kindly to women who breastfeed,
to parents who wear their children around and play with them. If you
see a parent treating a child unkindly, add positive energy to the
situation by saying something like, "You have the most adorable child
there!" When they fix you with a stare or angry comment, come back
with, "Oh. Today's a tough day for you. I'm sorry if I troubled you.
I'll just leave you and your little one alone and be on my way. I hope
your day gets better!"
3) Show respect and love for
everybody else, in all aspects of life. If somebody cuts you off on the
freeway, instead of flashing the bird, try flashing the I Love You
sign, and smiling. Try speaking respectfully to your friends and neighbors. Treat your in-laws, your ex, and people that frustrate you with respect. In cyberspace, try speaking with respect about your government leaders, people of other religions and worldviews, and people who disagree with you. Be respectful even when others forget to respect you. Our collective actions create our nation. Act well.
4) Give your time and money to loving, respectful products and activities. Those who make movies, video games, TV shows, etc., make more of whatever sells well. Whatever you choose to buy or watch is your vote of what we should have more of in the world. Vote well. It's the only world we've got.
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