Taking a Stand ... what we are rapidly learning

The ways of the past assumed that on any issue there was a right or correct position and a wrong position ... politics often began from idealogy and spent a lot of energy criticizing the opponents' idealogy. We grew up in a cold war that was largely idealogical in basis. The ways of the present will come to be defined in contrast to the obsolesent ways of the past.

Today, facing unprecedented challenges and having no time to find out, if it were possible, who was to blame, the way forward is to find a way that works to solve the problems we are facing and to leave as many options open for change as we dare because in uncharted waters there are bound to be more and likely bigger mistakes.

The assumption of basic goodness at the root allows a latitude of possibilities really unprecedented as well and provides a firm middle ground that is experientially "higher" than the historical conflicts if only in that it can see the conflicts more clearly by not being required to take sides as the past roars off into the passed. (sic)

There are opportunities for those of us who have meticulously stayed outside until now to enter into the emerging conversations as supporting balance and equanimity ... the long view and a careful peacemaking between the old warriors stuck in their ancient battles. One can become quite impassioned to articulate this position by sending emails, writing comments on blogs being read and generally trying to bring the conversation up a notch beyond the yelping youthingas.

I call that a Stand worth taking.