Equal rights values transcend sexual-dominance values

Spectrum, by Barbara McDaniel

Alas, following Nov. 2, there is little change in political representation for the Mat-Su Valley.

Four compassionate, talented, ambitious, ethical, and intelligent people represented Mat-Su Democrats in the local political contests. Their records outmatched their opponents' on every one of those qualities.

Yet the 2004 election results mirrored election results back to 1994: about 60 percent to 30 percent in favor of Republicans. Apparently, despite the much-publicized population growth in the Valley, the voting trend along party lines has not changed.

Yes indeed, this election was another disappointment for Democratic-leaning voters in the Valley. We must accept the fact that Alaska's Democratic politicians will once again have few opportunities to produce public policy that reflects our moral values. And, certainly, voters who selected Democrats did cast their votes based on moral values.

It may surprise some readers that Democrats base their choices on moral values. But it's true. While not often expressing morality in the manner of evangelicals, Democratic values are nevertheless moral values.

Our values include a sense of responsibility and desire to help alleviate poverty, misery and suffering in our communities; a desire to help ensure workers' time and effort are legitimately compensated; a desire to help ensure families and communities are healthy; a desire to protect one's life and body from another's control and a desire to help ensure a safe environment for all.

Republicans, evangelicals and conservatives do not own moral values. Democrats, nonevangelicals and nonconservatives operate on the basis of moral values as well. The difference is in what "moral values" means.

When evangelicals and conservatives talk about "moral values," the term is code used to stimulate fear about sexual dominance and submission. However, the prime moral value for nonevangelicals and nonconservatives is "doing unto others as you would have them do unto you."

The good old golden rule easily translates into a simple, two-word moral code of premium value in the Democratic Party's policies: equal rights. And Democratic equal-rights policy and Republican sexual-dominance policy aren't in the same league. Equal-rights policy transcends sexual-dominance policy in value to the community. Equal-rights policy produces the greater good.

The Democratic Party platform is loaded with equal-rights/golden-rule values at every section. Those include golden-rule policies on all forms of discrimination, labor laws, taxation, education, foreign affairs, health, the environment and safety (see www.alaskademocrats.org).

All Democratic Party policies are based on moral values, equal rights, doing unto others as we would have them do unto us, working together for the common good. And election losses won't change our commitment to equal-rights policies.

The golden rule is our heart and soul, our moral compass. It always works. And, even in the face of political losses, the nature of the rule compels us to go on defending its premium value.

Barbara McDaniel is a Wasilla resident and the secretary of Mat-Su Democrats.