I was born in the Midwest. I have lived in either Nebraska or South Dakota my whole life. There are plenty of stereotypes about people who live in this region. We are simpler. We are nice. We are easy going. One of the most prominent, however, is that we are conservative.
Like many other people from Nebraska, I was raised in a conservative Christian family. I was raised to put family and God above all else and to hold strong Christian morals.
The older I got however, the more I began to question the values I have been raised to believe. Near the end of high school I had a clear liberal stance on most subjects rather than the conservative ones my family holds.
Being in the Midwest it is explained that we hold Midwestern Values, these values are conservative values that put family first. I agree with these views, I agree with the idea to put family first. The thing is that in order to believe in these values does not mean you have to vote for the “conservative” candidate.
Family values can be progressive values and extend beyond the family. Christianity is a faith based on the beliefs that it is our duty to help the less fortunate, to reach out to the sick, welcome the sinner and feed the hungry. These beliefs are not beliefs that are necessarily held by some of those who are on the conservative side. Building a wall to keep out less fortunate people to stop a few individuals with cruel intentions is not a Christian value, and neither is stopping the immigration of refugees trying to escape war and terrorism. Denying individuals the healthcare they need is not a Christian value.
There is also a level of judgement that is held by conservative groups that goes against Christian beliefs. Pope Francis said it best when he questioned “Who am I to Judge?” Truthfully, if one believes in the tenants of the Christian faith, then the acts of another that go against your own should not matter. The Bible says in Matthew 7:5 “You hypocrite! First remove the beam out of your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck out of your brother’s eye.” Nobody is without sin in the Christian faith, therefore creating judgement for the acts and beliefs of others is hypocritical to the nature of the faith.
So Midwestern values are not values of building walls or protesting against groups of individuals. These values are not values that promote bigotry or hate. True Midwestern values are those that look out for the safety and wellbeing of all those less fortunate. Of not only looking over one’s own family, but to ensure that one’s neighbor also has enough to eat. Of welcoming people from all walks of life with open arms. At some point we may have forgotten this, or we just started to care less. It could be that the term “Midwestern values” has changed from a way of life to just a political slogan.
