Be Careful Out There?
2008-08-10 23:03:00.0
AUTHOR: Denise Krum
Over the course of this election campaign, there will no doubt be more of the usual dose of scare-mongering. I am over it. I am over hearing about smacking, immigration, and crime in the context of fear. Our fear of letting go of things that might protect us against an uncertain future leads to obsessing over protection and personal safekeeping. The persistent pursuit of personal safekeeping & protection leads to uncharitable hearts. Will the repeal of section 59 really discriminate against my family? Will people of different races really make our nation less kiwi? And should we answer violence with violence in the assumption that if we don’t, we’ll be forever victimized?
One of my concerns is what this is teaching our kids. When pondering what fear does, and how it leads us to live timid lives, I realize that I don’t want to tell my children to ‘be careful.’ I’d much prefer to tell them to ‘be good’. What do you want to tell your kids in regards to their relationship with their neighbourhood?