I was saddened by the violence that took the life of Charlie Kirk. I was also struck by recent comments by race driver Danica Patrick and many others that his death silenced a voice trying to bring conservative values to young people.
I thought, yes, right on. we all do indeed need to promote conservative values, many of which we learned in kindergarten, in church, from the 10 Commandments, the Sermon on the Mount, the Golden Rule, and our parents. They are sometimes called family values. Each one is important, so let’s set an example and talk to young people about all of them and not pick and choose.
Those conservative values say we should:
Tell the truth
Obey the law
Respect marriage and avoid adultery
Respect women as equals
Not abuse women
Strive for peaceful solutions, and not take a life except as a last resort
Love, care for, and not abuse children
Ensure physical and mental health care is available at reasonable cost for adults and children at an early age to deal with issues like abuse, bullying, disability, and sexual identity
Discourage final decisions about sexual identity until full maturity
Help the less fortunate and share when we can
Play fair and not cheat
Spend money responsibly
Pay our debts
Save for a rainy day
Pay as we go if possible rather than borrow
Get a good education
Study arithmetic, history, and science
Be analytical and not accept conspiracy theories over facts
Work hard and be competent
Reward hard work and competence
Avoid cronyism
Learn to read and write, then read a lot
Listen to others
Make tough decisions
Inform ourselves and be good citizens
Be ethical
Be tolerant of other views
Not exclude those who are different
Avoid swearing or using obscene language
Think before speaking and acting
Treat people individually not as a group
Avoid labeling
Conserve our earthly resources and environment for our grandchildren
Avoid bullying
Avoid being vindictive
Be forgiving but accountable for actions
Take responsibilty
Set a good example
Respect law enforcement and judges
Give back to our Country
Serve in the military or in other ways
Keep a strong defense
Protect our national secrets
Avoid being greedy or coveting power
Be humble and grateful
Avoid being jealous
Try to limit the size of government
Watch out for unintended consequences of good intentions
Try to avoid a culture of government dependency for individuals and business
Treat others as you want to be treated
Do good deeds and pass good deeds forward
If you believe in a God, be God-fearing
Avoid being a hypocrite
Be kind to fellow humans and animals.
Of course there are more.
Let’s get started, all of us, top to bottom.
