The Politics of Principle

“No one should seek to impose his or her religious convictions on society, but we should seek to bring the insights of our respective faiths to the public conversation about the principles for which we stand and the values we share. That would involve, for the religious groups within society, a shift from the politics of interests to the politics of principle. It is when our horizons extend beyond our own faith communities that our separate journeys converge and we become joint builders of amore gracious world.” (124)

--from To Heal a Fractured World: The Ethics of Responsibility, by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks

I find this concept particularly important right now, given what is happening in the United States. I care deeply--both as a citizen and as a teacher--about how our country behaves and about how our leaders (and prospective leaders) behave. And I find myself longing for a dialogue of candidates exploring the politics of principle. I want to know how we can all work together, how we can build a community and a world that is founded on respect, where people listen to each other and explore their commonalities.

I think I need to stop watching television. The commercials for the upcoming elections are making me despair that we will never find the ability to have a civil conversation with those with whom we disagree. Instead, people shout, lie, and throw mud. Different is somehow evil. I wish we could all step back, take a deep breath, and say, "Let's be reasonable with each other. Let's celebrate what we share and present where we differ in a calm and reasonable fashion."

I am, at heart, an optimist. That is why I teach. I work to imbue students with these views.