The Maxims and Voting Season

Jace Cortana wrote: If you examine our mythology, Jedi have always come to choose a side in times where it is most needed, and often quite visible as well. If you look at the Clone Wars myth, the Jedi very clearly chose to support the Republic and even became commanders on the front lines. In the older mythology, Ben Kenobi and Luke both are obvious supporters of the Rebellion and actively fight in the war.

To look at this in our terms, it is not un-Jedi to publicly throw our support behind a cause that is true to the ways of our Temple. Whether it is political, social, environmental, etc..., I believe that the Jedi should demonstrate their support for issues of justice.

With respect... we do not follow the fiction with regards to how our doctrine is understood..

But I don't necessarily disagree with your second paragraph.

Yes, the way I see it you can support a candidate, but do not try to convince others to do so unless they specifically ask your opinion. I openly support a candidate, and will openly tell anyone who asks what it is, but I don't try to push that view upon my peers.

Every Jedi has their own interpretation of Maxims. Some don't give em any value.
The value mostly falls on the individual. The teachings and Maxims are taken from every where. They help the Jedi to keep focus. That one in paticular to me has been a great help with the ego. New years night I sat with my little brother and gave him his annual new years advice. "You really don't need attention " was what he got. We hope that things are done for the reasons not malicious. " good" you could say.

I've always seen it more as saying Jedi as a group shouldn't support a particular cause or candidate since we are a varied group with varied opinions and needs. We don't want to tell other Jedi who they should or shouldn't support just because they (the person doing the supporting) are a Jedi. Each person is allowed to support whomever they will.

Basically, I can vote for any candidate but there shouldn't be a "Jedi for [candidate]!" sign anywhere.

And what Edan said about not being to visible and doing it just for exposure.

I think it's related to chapters 5 and 13 of the Tao Te Ching, where the sage is told not to interfere in foreign affairs, he must be impartial and keep a low profile. That doesn't mean not to vote or not to share your opinion when asked, but not to try and force your own thoughts on others.

It's about not losing your independance. To each new alliance there is a new antagonism. Don't reveal anything if you don't need to. Why put huge boards on your lawn when a quick chat with someone's campaign manager will yield significantly better results?
it's also about supporting ideas and not people/groups. In representative democracy you have no choice but support people/groups instead of ideas, or not support anything at all.
When voting, the greatest dilemma really should be whether any candidate deserves to be given that kind of power. Then I'd look at whether the candidates are people who keep their word, and what kind of tactics they employ. Treat politicians like enemies: choose the enemy you know best. At least you'll know what's coming.

this maxim should be read together with conflict and intervention because wu-wei.