Judgment or Judgmental

So this morning I was making my way to the office from public transit and I was startled by a small very blond boy of about three years dashing past me on the sidewalk about twenty feet ahead, jumping in the air and simultaneously making a neat 180 degree turn, landing on the sidewalk with his arms and legs taking up as much space as possible, and shouting "Hah!" at me.  I smiled and walked around him a little sheepishly.  I didn't want to ruin his little play.  Seconds later a slightly older boy of maybe five years, also blond, but not quite as blond, made an identical move dashing past me and then blocking my way.  "Hah!"  I was totally charmed and turned to smile at whomever might be accompanying the boys and saw a handsome couple in their thirties with a very nice stroller, presumably for the younger, blonder boy.  A nice family out for a stroll.  Nothing alarming about that, is there?

The couple was chatting and the boys continued taking turns running out ahead and blocking my way.  And then I slowed a little and let the couple catch up.  I meant to say something about how adorable the boys were, but before I could express myself I realized they were speaking German, which doesn't make the boys any the less adorable, does it?

But it kind of did.  And I feel a little silly thinking about it, but what with all the talk of the end of the world and the wild ride on the stock markets and babies appearing and people dying who aren't old enough for such things and unemployment and my house kind of falling apart in little bits--the door knob, the cabinetry, the big air conditioner in the living room, the sink stopper in the bathroom--its all got me a little on edge.  More than a little.  Really tense.  Stressed.  In a knot.  Grinding my teeth even when I'm awake.

So suddenly I was thinking it was the 30's and I was a nice Jewish girl in Berlin or somewhere artsy like that and it was so okay to be anti-Semitic that even little boys could stop me on the street to keep me from getting where I wanted to go.  As I'm walking to work in 2011.

But here's the thing.  I feel like that myself these days.  I look at a member of another political party on television and I don't know whether I hate them more for their stupidity or their aggressiveness or their stubbornness or for ruining the economy or the environment or WHAT.  So what does that make me?  Am I passing judgment or being judgmental?

I remember in my younger days teaching rhetoric and composition at a respected university that part of the curriculum was to teach classical rhetoric and modern rhetoric.  The difference was that in the modern world, where it is so easy to destroy huge numbers of people at a swipe, we can no longer argue using old techniques of calling our opponent an idiot or a liar or saying any of those things that would, in Greek times, lead to war.  Now our goal is to remain at the table with our enemy.  To use language that is not inflammatory or accusatory.  To be gentle, civilized, fair-minded, collaborative, understanding, even complimentary.

Boy those Tea Party ladies sure do dress nicely.

I'm trying.