Our kids would know better.

It appears John McCain and Sarah Palin have forgotten everything their mommas must have told them about how to behave. Negative campaigning is ugly, but it's expected, especially when they're feeling rather desperate about their position in the polls. We have seen the booing and the negativity sanctioned by the Republican party at their own convention, and that, too, is to be expected (although no child of mine will be raised to boo anyone or anything).

No, what I'm talking about is standing up for what is right and knowing when a terrible line has been crossed.There are reports from mainstream newspapers that on Monday, a man in the crowd at a Sarah Palin rally shouted out "Kill him" when Obama's name came up. The threat was taken seriously enough that the Secret Service investigated the matter. Other shouts included "Terrorist!" Meanwhile, at a McCain rally in Pennsylvania, the opening speaker repeatedly and pointedly used Obama's middle name, Hussein, to stir up the crowd into a hotbed of hate and fear. In both of these cases, Palin and McCain stood by smiling.

Mommas, I know you're raising your children right. For those with children that are old enough to follow the election, use these moments as a teaching tool to demonstrate how to behave honorably and how to stand up for what is right. Let them role play situations in which they have to stop someone from saying something mean or hateful. It's hard, but giving them the words to use and letting them practice them in a safe situation is the first step. Children have to learn how to interrupt bad behavior and put an end to hate in the world around them. It takes honor and it takes courage to do this. It has become clear that John McCain and Sarah Palin lack both.

For more information on the ugliness of anger in the campaign and the extremes it has come to, please read:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/10/09/EDVS13EDIF.DTL

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/09/AR2008100903169.html?nav=hcmodule

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/10/08/AR2008100802351.html