Small Town Values? Just Values.

During this political season that has me on the edge of my seat, especially since we have a small town gal on the Republican ticket for the presidential election, I've had many opportunities to ponder this phrase. Small town values. What are small town values? During the Republican convention, I heard "small town values" over and over again, to which I almost take offense. I mean, the phrase lends itself to the idea that small town folks have values and the rest of us do not... or that they have superior morals to those of us who live in the suburbs or in a large city.

I believe that having values means treating others as you would like to be treated. I believe that having values means that you take responsibility for your actions. I believe that honesty, loyalty and integrity are characteristics of one who has "values". Last, but certainly not least, I believe that people who have values do not judge others. As far as I can tell, these values and living in a small town are not mutually exclusive.

I do not associate "values" with religion, relationships, or appearance. Does a person have to be Christian to have values? I've met lot of Christians who are eager to criticize others, who lie, cheat on their taxes, cheat on their spouses, gossip about their neighbors and coworkers. I've met lots of Christians who are wonderful people, but being Christian isn't what makes them wonderful. Being kind, loving, forgiving, and generous is what makes them wonderful. Is having values exclusive to those of us who are married or heterosexual? I have friends and family who are in committed relationships with same-sex partners who are honest, loyal and have integrity. Can we automatically put those people in the "no values" column because of the partner they choose? Is having values exclusive to white people? To those of us who do not have more than 2 piercings and no tattoos?

What is most confusing to me is this, the same people who are preaching "small town values" and "family values" are the same people who insist that Barack Obama is Muslim (and that's why they don't want to vote for him), that "If only Obama were a good Christian, not a Muslim, then I'd vote for him in a New York minute", which translates to this, "If Obama were not black, I'd vote for him. I cannot get past my own ignorance, my own narrowmindedness to vote for a black man." The same people who are preaching small town values and family values are the same people who criticize programs that assist people who are less fortunate, and these are the same people who propogate fear by insinuating that our very well-being is at risk because of people who don't look like us or act like us.

Ironically, the same who preach small town values are typically Christian, so they are the people who are living their lives according to the teachings of Christ. Christ taught tolerance. He said "love the neighbor as thyself". Personally, I like my definition of values better.