Americans National Issues and Parenting

I have been thinking a lot about the Nigerian Bishops and what they had to say about families being the "building blocks of nations". One of the things which is troubling me about American life right now is our strict division down political party lines.  Where ideology is taking precedence over being Americans.

I have been reading a study by the Institute of Advanced Studies in Culture and it's interesting to note our parenting is divided not down "political" lines, but definitely down liberal verses conservative. So, my question is have we in our culture become so fixed on our point of view being right or wrong,  we can no longer tolerate someone else's view even when it comes to how they live in their families?

I bring this up because parenting is becoming a right versus wrong kind of enterprise. Negating the fact that at its core parenting is about the relationship between an adult and a child. So, when did we decide there is a right way and a wrong way to have a relationship? I think this goes back to "right fighting". If I can not look at the relationship between you and your child and see my relationship with mine, then you are doing it wrong. Therefore, I must correct  you. This is the basis of what we are seeing in the political realm. You do not think as I do therefore I must correct you. When did we decide there is no such thing as compromise.on a political level. It was about the time we decided to sit in judgement upon on another relationships with our children and families. One can not exist without the other. If I am sitting in judgement of you I can not compromise with you to get something accomplished. Because compromise implies we are equal, If I am right and you are wrong then there is no equality. There is no compromise in being right.

I have come to realize the issues we are having with what I call the "criminalization of parenting: is not based on the government becoming intrusive. Instead it is based on our sitting in judgement of one anthers choices. We are so busy thinking "I would never" and passing judgement on someone who would do what we would never do. We are failing to offer support and care to one another. Instead, we insist we are right and those who chose a different path must be punished. There is no compromise. Sound familiar? Washington, is reflecting us and not the other way around. If we want to fix the issues in Washington it starts with our putting down being right about that Mom who left her child in the care while she ran into the store and simply watching over the child until she comes back. It starts with putting down our desire to be right and picking up the willingness to see something from someone else's point of view. It really comes down to protecting one anothers right to love, care for, and parent their child in their way. It takes Believing in Parenting.