Need to treat others by good example

I have lived in DuPage County for over 38 years and have been a registered Republican for 22 of those years. I have become more saddened by the people who say they are Republicans and are for "American Values."

I work in our local school and have heard 2nd graders talking about, "My mom says Barack Obama kills babies in their mommies' tummies." Is this something that 2nd graders should be talking about?

What about the sign in Kane County, the one on private property that shows Barack Obama as a clown like Bozo. How about the adults at the rallies calling "kill him" and the adults lined up at a McCain/Palin rally in Pennsylvania holding Curious George the Monkey with an Obama sticker on his head? How about the women's GOP in California that advertised the fake welfare money with Barack's face and watermelon, ribs, Kool-aid, and fried chicken on the front? Is this what we teach our children at home?

In the school that I work at, we teach tolerance and kindness even to those who don't have the same beliefs that we do. I don't even know where to begin with the garbage and the smile that come out of Sarah Palin's side of the fence. She is not someone that I would like to see represent the U.S. We are a better country than that. She may be a pit bull, but is that what we need? What do we tell our children - it's OK to mock the other side, it's all in the name of politics?

I feel like we have stooped to middle school antics - although the kids I work with would never do what these adults are doing. We all need to grow up and act like the leaders that we need to be. We need to show our children how to treat others by example.

Kate Piraino

Wheaton