Confession: I grew up in the O.C. and my parents still live there. My dear father embodies the ultimate expression of what I fight for: he’s anti-feminist, anti-liberal, Ann-Coulter loving, fundamentalist Christian, Glenn Beck regular, republican. But he is still my Dad, and I love him. The irony is, he is a lot of the reason that I take current events and politics so seriously, and all of the reason that I’m a liberal.

My Dad taught me to critically examine news and information; he taught me to research before I react, not trust something just because you heard it from someone who was yelling, and be open to changing your mind. Well that was my Dad when I was growing up, anyway. Now he’s 75, and quite stubborn.

Anyway, we have had several discussions about men and women, equal pay, Obama, etc. (my parents have forwarded me all those crazy conservative fear-based fwds you hear about on the news that are easily disproved by a google search), and we usually end the conversations disagreeing. Lately though, it seems I am getting through to him, even just a little.

Then, an amazing thing happened, and I received a call from him saying he was “fed up” with Glenn Beck and Sean Hannity because they are “just against everything Obama does, no matter what.” Insert squeals of joy from me!

When bell hooks came to visit campus last semester, she talked about how social change occurs through love. She argues that the people closest to us are the people we have the best chance of talking to about issues of race, class, sex discrimination, etc. She says that your friends and family, those are the people you need to keep in check, and the people that need to keep you in check. Her words inspired me, and even when I get so frustrated when talking to my Dad about issues that I am so passionate about, I try to remember that he is the one who taught me to question, to think, and not to give up. I guess stubbornness runs in the family

So don’t be afraid to speak truth to the ones you love, and try not to be defensive when people call you out for something.  In my experience, it can be icky to be called out for something you’ve said or done, but that is essential to growth. We all need a perspective shift every once in a while.

And when my Dad calls and says he’s fed up with Glenn Beck, well, I have never been more hopeful for our country.

Filed under: Activism, Personal is Political, US politics by Shelly