When Children Ask, What Will We Say?

What have we come to?

I tuned into each of the Presidential Debates.  However, I confess I was only able to watch for about 20 minutes.  The reason why is simple. I began to think about my 11-year- old grandson.

The behavior of the candidates – both of them – is behavior we would not tolerate from young children.  We teach children manners, respect and general good behavior traits.  We teach young people not to interrupt, not to call names, not to tell lies, and to respect differing opinions.

In our Presidential Debates, we saw two educated adults behaving so badly that I cannot imagine how I would explain the behavior to my grandson.  If he should, rightfully, ask me why they are behaving like this, I would not know how to answer.

When two people, who want to lead our nation, exhibit despicable behavior ... they tarnish our respect for the presidency and our country.

He is now in middle school and I want him to begin to understand our system of government and that electing a president is a big deal.  The right to vote is important and something not all citizens of the world enjoy.  But instead of an opportunity for learning and expanding his view, the debates turned into something I’d rather he not watch at all.

What does this say about our country, our civility and our future?  This is a nonpartisan question that I am asking.  It is also a sad question and I don’t have an answer, but I do have some personal feelings that I would like to share, not only as a college president, but also as a concerned grandparent.

Despicable behavior is unacceptable for anyone – children and candidates included. When two people, who want to lead our nation, exhibit despicable behavior – not only in private, but also in public events as important as the Presidential Debates – they tarnish our respect for the presidency and our country. They also tarnish our nation’s image around the world.

The right to vote is important and something not all citizens of the world enjoy.

As I watched the debates, thinking of my grandson, I remembered the two candidates also are grandparents. Their behavior was – and should have been seen by their families, as well as mine, as – an embarrassment. It is not something we can ignore.

Perhaps as bad as the candidates’ behavior, was the spending of millions of dollars on campaign advertisements, including television commercials and print ads that displayed even more bad behavior.  Imagine what good could have been done with that money! Imagine the lost opportunity for these candidates to model behaviors that would inspire in our children!

This November, I will vote, but I will do so with a heavy heart and with an enormous sense of embarrassment and shame for what this election represents for all of us.

We can – we must – do better.