Civil Engagement

CIVICS ???
Civics: the political and practical aspects of citizenship, rights and duties of citizens to each other. It includes the study of government with attention to the role of citizens in the operation and oversight of government. - WIKI

What if civics includes civility?

What if politics meant being polite?

"To be polite is to do or say

The kindest thing in the

Kindest way."

My parents taught us this little saying when I was a child. I have not forgotten it. 

They also taught me this bible verse from the book of proverbs: "a soft answer turns away wrath but grievous words stir up anger".

Civic engagement for me has to be first about family. The first "institution" that every individual will experience.

It is as a factory turning out citizens into our communities. Our schools or our prisons rarely correct what our families support. 

So, yes, parents, parent leaders are of necessity the prime movers in the mission of civic engagement - that mission: "producing" good citizens. 

To that end, I believe whatever else civic engagement may involve, it must have as a primary focus the strengthening of the family.

Mothers and fathers must be able to maintain strong, stable and sustainable family life across many generations to keep that supply of good citizens "flowing" out into our neighborhoods our communities our societies - our world !

Civic engagement initiatives should build support systems for fathers and sons and for mothers and daughters. Civic engagement to be effective must be two generational.

Every effort to lobby the legislature should have as its primary motivation the well-being of the next generation of citizens who will emerge from strong, stable sustainable families.

As we leverage the various economic successes of the marketplace in the political assemblies of this great 'constitution state', let us never forget that it is first and foremost for the family that we engage, let our civic engagement be always a civil engagement. In the words of scripture: "be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another; even as God for Christ sake has forgiven you".

Amen

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