Read on Twitter
Maddy came to us around 9:30 pm, as she often does fighting bedtime. Usually, she jangles the doorknob and we pause our show. Not last night.
"What are you watching?"
"It& #39;s the last Presidential debate," Heather says. "We have to watch it."
Genuine shock: "We HAVE to?!"
/1
"What are you watching?"
"It& #39;s the last Presidential debate," Heather says. "We have to watch it."
Genuine shock: "We HAVE to?!"
/1
Apparently our kid is sensitive to TV time authoritarianism.
No, we explained. We just felt compelled to see how it& #39;d go. To our surprise, we& #39;d made it more than five minutes without cringing to death.
"It& #39;s kind of interesting," Maddy said, sitting down to watch with us. /2
No, we explained. We just felt compelled to see how it& #39;d go. To our surprise, we& #39;d made it more than five minutes without cringing to death.
"It& #39;s kind of interesting," Maddy said, sitting down to watch with us. /2
She actually watched and listened. She reacted to the President& #39;s tone and noted he seemed to be making up almost everything he said. Beyond that, I wasn& #39;t sure how much of it made sense to her. Maddy is just nine, after all.
Then the debate turned to immigration. /3
Then the debate turned to immigration. /3
When Kristen Welker talked about the 525 children who had been separated from their parents at the borders and months later still didn& #39;t know where their parents are, Maddy gasped. Loudly.
My heart fell into my stomach. I understood how desensitized I& #39;ve become to "the news" /4
My heart fell into my stomach. I understood how desensitized I& #39;ve become to "the news" /4
After the debate, we had a long talk about people we know who will likely vote for the President.
"Maybe I should talk to (relative)," she said. "I don& #39;t want to make them feel bad. I just want to know why. Maybe I can change their mind."
/5
"Maybe I should talk to (relative)," she said. "I don& #39;t want to make them feel bad. I just want to know why. Maybe I can change their mind."
/5
I want Maddy& #39;s kindness and courage. I bought into "what difference would it make?" but I do want to know how the same people who taught me to love my neighbors and pray for my enemies became ardent supporters of a man who has consistently acted contrary to those values.
/6
/6
I do not understand standing by the cruelty, whether it& #39;s meant embracing it or holding your nose to try ignoring it.
But I do believe that writing them off now, completely, will lead to more folks sacrificing their morality and ethics to chalk up political wins. /end
But I do believe that writing them off now, completely, will lead to more folks sacrificing their morality and ethics to chalk up political wins. /end
