It’s oddly interesting to be a parent and a teacher these days, as messages come out of Washington sending strange signals to kids (and all of us!) regarding what constitutes basic decency.
A few months ago, I wrote a song for kids called “Try Being Decent.” After viewing President Donald Trump’s address to the Boy Scouts of America, I decided to submit the lyrics to the Greenfield Recorder in the hopes that other parents or teachers who yearn for ways to respond in this era of insults and rudeness might find comfort or inspiration in these words.
Anyone wishing to hear the song can give me a call at 413-498-2974; I’ll send you an MP3 via email. If you don’t do email, I’ll even sing it to you over the phone!
Carry on, parents and teachers — and good luck!
Have you heard that being polite is going outta style?
(Well, it’s not!)
Have you heard it’s cool to snap and bite like a crocodile?
(Well, it’s not!)
We’re humans, not reptiles, so don’t forget:
Being mean gets you nowhere.
You bet: it’s a good thing to be polite!
Just because someone has a thought
That’s different from the way you think
Should you call ’em names and hurt their feelings
’Til the situation stinks?
No, my friend, you can choose to be kind
Instead of acting like a horse’s behind —
It’s a good thing to be polite!
Try being decent (everything’s better with respect!)
The idea’s not recent (you already know it, I suspect?)
The next time you feel hot under the collar
Please don’t shout or swear or holler: Try being polite!
Do you think that being polite means you don’t get what you need?
Do you think it’s weak when you offer a kind word or deed?
It’s important to be strong, but don’t be fooled:
Being mean will never be cool.
It’s a good thing to be polite!
If you have something to say, stand up and say it clear
Speak your mind and stand your ground, uphold your values, dear.
It makes a difference what you do or say
People will remember on another day
It’s a good thing to be polite!
Eveline MacDougall is the founder and director of the Amandla Chorus, and a member (with Douglas Reid) of the duo Fire Pond, which has performed “Try Being Decent” to audiences of all ages since November of 2016. A substitute teacher and parent of a 13-year-old, MacDougall lives in Northfield.