Knock, Knock.

Who's there?

Our house is full of knock-knock jokes. Henry and Svea like to switch up the punch lines just for fun, not because they don't get it or anything.

So we're telling lots of jokes, lots of stories, lots of make-believe (which is fun to listen to since in Svea's version they are in a boat, but according to Henry they are in the jungle and eventually they end up in a jungle boat with Sheer Khan and Bhageera and maybe Mickey Mouse. John Parker Wilson is throwing footballs in there too somewhere).

Brian and I have been listening to them play, participating some, but mostly we're glued to news commentaries, local stations and papers, web sites and Daily Shows tracking the presidential campaign. Brian wrote a moving plea for dialogue on his Facebook page which generated a good bit of discussion.
Now it's my turn.

For the first time in my life, I do not feel the need to shy away from a political race. I did learn the rule about never discussing politics or religion at the dinner table...or in public...but I married a preacher and I'm from the South where going to the grocery store is a political event. I'm stuck, there's no way around it, and I need to talk about it.

The root of my fear in bringing up candidates is isolation. I don't want to make anyone feel isolated, nor do I want to lose friends over this. To stay silent and implode versus speaking up and losing friends is far too binary for reality; I am convinced there are more options out there.

Shamelessly I will lay down my cards and declare my support for the Obama-Biden campaign. I am committing to research and discussion, but not isolation nor condemnation. I will continue to love my friends and family who choose to support McCain-Palin. But I insist on dialogue.

As a parent, I need Obama-Biden to win for issues in education. Because I have parents, I need Obama-Biden to win for issues in health care and social security. Because I want to remain a parent, I need Obama-Biden to win for issues in foreign policy and national security. As a woman, wife, sister and friend, I need Obama-Biden to win for issues in civil rights, gay rights, abortion, energy and the environment. Most of all, I need us all to keep talking, learning, and listening.

So, here goes:
Me: Knock, knock.
You: Who's there?
Me: Lettuce.
You: Lettuce who?
Me: Lettuce be friends. Lettuce keep the conversation going. Lettuce commit to change and hope, together. Lettuce get the punch line right to this one. I'll teach my kids, you teach yours.