Not long ago a reader respectfully asked when we’d be done covering the election. She was kind, but she had grown weary — weary because (1) the reactions of many have been challenging to continually endure, and (2) there are so many other current life events to address. I get it. I also have one more post…
I wish to gently, but sincerely recognize two legitimate perspectives. There’s obviously more than such, but in light of the significant, seemingly self-justified vitriol in recent weeks, I will settle on two for said final post.
First, there are honest, respectable people who are genuinely concerned with the election results. Some are deeply concerned — even afraid. We don’t know at this point whether or not their fears will come to fruition. We don’t know as of yet whether their fears will equate to reality, but until we know more, we should not dismiss any potential legitimacy. We should also not assume their feared reality to be true.
Second, there are persons going seemingly way too far in their response to the election. They either go too far in their continuous boasting — the gleeful “we won” type of reaction — ignoring how any may feel differently… or… they express a generous anger or lament fiercely directed at whoever doesn’t feel like them. As popular blogger, Regie Hamm, posed last week, “The wrath of the tolerant is often too much to bear when things don’t go their way.”
I’d like to see us do better at winning and losing. In fact, I’d like us not even to see it as “winning and losing.” It’s not a game; it’s also not the end of the world.
Elections do have consequences, and there certainly exists legitimate disagreement. But in the Intramuralist’s sincere opinion, we need to do better at expressing both our support and disagreement. Sadly, the anger and the arrogance impede respect and relationship — and therefore, also future progress.
Friends, I know some of you love and admire Hillary Clinton.
I know some of you do not.
I know some of you love and admire Donald Trump.
I know some of you do not.
I also know some of you voted for Donald or Hillary without loving (or really liking) either one of them.
You made the decision you thought was best.
Here, no less, is my sincere bottom line in our final election post: where is the respect for the right of every American to make the decision we individually think is best? Where is the respect for (all) other people? My sense is we often are only good at respecting some.
Afterall, it’s a fact that…
Not all Republicans feel the same.
Not all Democrats feel the same.
Not all white or black people feel the same.
Not all minorities feel the same.
Not all men or women feel the same.
Not all of any identified people group feels the same.
That’s it. We don’t all feel the same, and we can thus come to different “best” decisions. It is also then, not a time for boasting nor wishing the worst on someone.
May I share a final, underlying fear? When dining with a friend recently, I shared my concern that at some point soon, one of our leading politicians will be intentionally killed. That, though, is actually not my underlying fear.
My fear is that those holding an opposing political perspective will cheer.
May God forbid such to ever happen in this country. May he also forbid we stay so politically angry or arrogant. May we therefore find no comfort in our boasts or in unleashing our wrath on another solely because of who they are, what they believe, or how they vote.
Wisdom equates to better and more.
(P.S. Done now… sigh.)
Respectfully…
AR