"Hope and change" cannot remain a mere slogan. We must define that for which we hope so that we can wisely manage the process of change. In defining our "hope," we discover who we are through the relationship that comes in such communication. In wisely managing "change," we help protect the integrity of our relationship with one another.
One problem with any reform effort is to remain unified. Being united by what we are against will not be a lasting unity. We must discover something in common that we can be for. By we, I mean all of us who live in this society, this polity composed of a diverse population. To continually distinguish between "us" and "them" will make potential friends appear to be foes (and vice versa). You and I may have differences of opinion on any number of issues, but we still can manage to maintain cordial relations with one another. Perhaps this is why Tip O'Neil (remember him, fighting tooth and nail with Ronald Reagan) insisted that "all politics is local."
What can we do here and now to build our community? I admire those businesses that work to integrate business activity with community affairs, modeling what is economically possible in the real world. Such businesses have ideals that they are sincerely trying to put into practice.
Perhaps this is what true community is all about - all of us trying to make real some common ideal. How we come to share a common ideal is through communication, staying together long enough to listen to one another and letting our words/actions be instruments of understanding rather than weapons of division.
We need to discover how our polity may find unity within inevitably normal diversity. It is important how we frame our questions concerning what the problems are. It is unhelpful to introduce blame and shame while trying to communicate with one another. Leave the labels off the table when laying out one's argument. Let this issues be described by definition rather than derision. It seems that we bomb one another with buzzwords than attack when our correspondent fails to reply with the politically correct answer. I am not interesting in defending or attacking the legacy of imperfect politicians past or present. I am interested in creating a society which functions well in healthy community. How can this come about?
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