Let's NOT Talk Politics (But Pls Vote)

I kinda really hate talking about politics. I know that not every conversation needs to give you a warm feeling inside, but I feel like most of the time when I say anything about politics, it's just dissolving in the air. Not that people are ignoring my words, it just feels like there no real point to my vocalization about whatever it is to the people I'm around, because they often agree with me, or there's people who are just too stubborn to change their mind about things. Unless I'm describing the Swiss political system. But that's not really the same kind of thing. But people really are stubborn when it comes to politics, ya know?

First things first: I'm a Baha'i. (for more info here is a good overview about the faith and here is one's guy's reasoning for becoming a baha'i)

Baha'is believe in not discussing politics, not publicly choosing one candidate/party over another, and mainly, not partaking in anything that becomes true divisive, because one of our main goals as baha'is is unity of mankind. But we definitely can vote, and speak well of politicians who are doing good things, and we can "engage in public discourse on issues of general concern to society" like climate change, equality of the genders, unity between races, etc. But if you look on my voter card, yeah, I'm registered as No Party.

And I kinda like that. I don't like how we have two main political parties that basically run the country and all other options are never big enough to be "worth it" to support them. I hate that politics are the thing that you're not suppose to bring up at the dinner table or that you'd want to talk about with family or whatever because talking politics means becoming divisive and angry.

I hate and get so annoyed by the feelings that come up with politics that I try to avoid dealing with them and just know enough to be able to know how to vote for the teachers union's candidate for school board, or how to get mailed/absentee/overseas ballots or how to research politicians' backgrounds when city commissioner or governor or president or whatever comes up. And I think that's important. And it's also scary how many people don't know how to do that, or get blinded by what their party or celebs or random people on the Internet say and then totally overlook the things that seem so blindingly obvious and important to me. That can be frustrating as well.

It's rather impressive how optimistic I remain even when it seems like the world's falling apart. But I owe that to my faith as well, in particular because of one thing that Shoghi Effendi said:

"A two-fold process... can be distinguished, each tending, in its own way and with an accelerated momentum, to bring to a climax the forces that are transforming the face of our planet. The first is essentially an integrating process, while the second is fundamentally disruptive. The former, as it steadily evolves, unfolds a System which may well serve as a pattern for that world polity towards which a strangely-disordered world is continually advancing; while the latter, as its disintegrating influence deepens, tends to tear down, with increasing violence, the antiquated barriers that seek to block humanity's progress towards its destined goal. The constructive process stands associated with the nascent Faith of Bahá'u'lláh, and is the harbinger of the New World Order that Faith must erelong establish. The destructive forces that characterize the other should be identified with a civilization that has refused to answer to the expectation of a new age, and is consequently falling into chaos and decline."- (WOB p.170 via This) 

Basically, we all know that our world has innumerable problems. The world is getting better, and there are many many wonderful people who are working to make it better. So, when terrible things happen, it is because those things need to be gotten rid of. For example, we can't fully rid ourselves of racism if we don't recognize that often racism is subtle and still a large problem. And sometime trying to deal with that becomes a destructive process. What WE need to do is be the productive/integrative/positive process that amidst all the terrible things, still works to make things better. We can't give up. We can't move to Mars, and we shouldn't. I don't care what your political and religious identities are. That is not important. This is.

Just like my mom would ask us as kids if what we did was helpful or harmful, ask yourself about the things you're doing, and look with open questioning eyes towards our political system and then please please go vote through absentee voting/early voting/normal voting and make sure that the part you play within politics is that of the changing and improving world, and not of the destructive past norms and beliefs. Things will not be perfect. But if we all do the best we can do, and treat our fellow humans with respect as we do it, that's the best we can ask for.

-See ya [at the polls!]