There's a new grassroots movement on the national horizon that doesn't claim religious rightness. It's not stuffed to the gills with power hungry politicians looking for a big score, or hidden behind an innocent facade that masks the true mission of the "cause." Bucking America's toxic "win at all costs" power hungry/exclusive group mentalities, this movement's radical tenants include decency, self respect for all and emotional wellness based on an understanding of where one's responsibility ends and someone else's begins.
Americans With Boundaries (AWB), is an open-minded, all-inclusive, free group that welcomes tolerant Americans of every race, religion and political penchant. It makes only one request of its members:
Live on top of your own two feet, and well outside of everyone else's personal space.
Imagine our more perfect union if we didn't try to control things that had absolutely no affect on our lives. There would be no need to use God or political right, center or left wings to lord over fellow Americans with our own personal agendas! Forgetting (or blatantly ignoring) others' boundaries is the ruptured Achilles Heel of our human condition. The selfish desire for power and control outside of our own boundaries is where the world's conflicts typically begin, middle and often end in tragedy. But alas, we can stop the insanity!
If the gal next to me on the bus uses contraception, it has no affect my life, no matter how much I try to act like it does. That decision is between her and her Higher Life force, and I am not Him, Her or It. I may have some opinion about what my God thinks of contraception, but that opinion only applies to me. Provided Betsy Busrider is not treading upon my ability to live my life safely and happily, (let's say she's not trying to rob me on the bus), she has as much right to her boundaries as I do to mine.
Certainly, we must create and enforce laws to keep our union safe. They must serve all of us equally, however, without personal bias or preference. Our founding fathers made decisions based on "our general welfare." Not simply yours or mine, but our common good. Unfortunately, leading members of our society has jettisoned themselves down the rabbit hole of everyone else's business. The unhealthy among us resemble mini deity dictators with time on their hands, power sadly on their side and judgment in their hearts.
The largest renewable power source of most political and religious "movements" is the biggest affront to AWB: Rationalization. AWBers are repelled by the mere thought of it! "God (or my own feigned superiority) told me to make sure you live in accordance to my interpretation of Him/Her/It" is a big, boundary-less pile of hooey. "It's for their own good," "It's only because we care so much," and others are just white wash for trying to assert power and control over things that don't directly affect our persons.
I don't know about you, but my God didn't drop in on me to say I needed to death grip grab the reins of my fellow Americans. In fact, Jesus (as well as most other boundary loving visionaries/profits/gods we Americans worship) encouraged healthy self control. Do not judge, lest you be judged. Pray for (don't put the thumb screws to) your fellow man. Be loving and kind and generous. Jesus preached peace and compassion, He didn't tell me to overpower and lord over those who didn't agree with me. And why? Because I'm not God. What a concept! I can certainly try to share my perspective and experience with others, but at the end of the day what they do with their persons is between God and them.
Before forming a judgment or taking action on anything, ask yourself,
"What does ________________ have to do with me?"
If the answer is "It has no tangible affect on my life, so it must be none of my damned business," you get leave whatever it is and get back to your own life's work and play.
Instead of rallying against the right of gays and lesbians to marry, a right that poses no threat to our selves or our nation, we can spend our time being of service to one another. Rather than organizing a power addicted political movement committed to total domination and keen on oppressing those among us who disagree, AWBers can spend time becoming better human beings. And, thanks to all of the free time members save that would have been wasted on various other judgment and boundary invasions, AWBers can make our country a more tolerable and respect-filled union.
God, Yahweh, Vishnu, Allah, Buddha, Big Bang (or whatever you'd like to call your higher life force) gave humans physical bodies for a reason. It's to remind each of us where our responsibility stops and someone else's begins.
Sarah O'Leary is an author, motivational speaker, imperfect spiritualist, humorist and regular contributor to HuffPo. To join the self-aware AWB movement, visit facebook.com/americanswithboundaries.