Mandating Decency

Michelle Obama visited the Even Start program of one of my former Bethel classmates recently. While there, she said this:

"I mean, no matter what you do, you can't pass a law that makes somebody do the right thing, right? You can't pass a law that makes a parent read to their child every night. You can't pass a law that you treat your neighbor with respect and decency. You can't pass laws like that. You know, that comes from all of us deciding in our own communities, in our own individual lives, in our own families, who are we going to be." - Michelle Obama

That really touched me. Sometimes I wish we could pass laws that parents would sit down and play with and talk to their kids. I wish we could pass laws that parents would treat their children with the respect they expect back from their children. I wish we could pass laws that people would treat their neighbors with decency and respect, but these things can't be mandated. They have to come from within. Thanks, Michelle, for reminding us of that.

For the full transcript of her visit, and photos of the adorable kids she met, visit http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog_post/do_the_right_thing/.