Thoughts after the Election

Three days after The Election, and the dust has not quite settled. Now that we have a President-Elect, everything looks different. To many, it is a picture of hope; but to many, it is a picture of fear. To whom do we turn for solace or wisdom? For many of us who relied on the media, we now suspect that they are not reliable, since they got the election wrong. In days gone by, we turned to our parents and the voices of experience to help us interpret our disappointments. As an older (but not that old) person, please let me share my observations with you.

First, let’s acknowledge that we live in an age of instant gratification. If we have a question, we expect an immediate answer. How often do you hear, “Just Google it!?” This week we have had to deal with the harsh reality that government doesn’t move that fast. Mr. Trump and his Transition Team have quite a bit of time to get his leadership team in place. We won’t have instant answers. That’s just the way it is.

Politicians say anything to get elected. Even the most well-meaning candidate will see things as they WANT them to be and make promises, not realizing that they just aren’t practical or even possible. It’s not that they are lying, they just don’t have the experience to know what works and what doesn’t. Being an outsider means that they haven’t worked in The System, so a little ignorance is understandable. Getting connected will make the plans reasonable and workable, and some people will be disappointed. Others will be relieved. That’s democracy.

Think of our country as a huge ship. You can’t turn it on a dime. We are not going to reverse years of American ideology in a single day. Our democracy was designed with checks and balances so that no one branch of government can derail us. The President-Elect’s advisers are crucial in helping him build a team that will move us in the right direction. So be patient. Wait vigilantly and see.

The saddest part of this election is that it turned our country into a big debate of Us versus Them. There is no true Us, and no real Them. I have never seen so many people conflicted about voting. People went to the polls propelled by duty, not joy. The reason? Neither candidate truly represents the totality of our beliefs and dreams, so we had to compromise. For many, they did not cast a vote FOR a candidate, but a vote AGAINST the other candidate. Neither the Democrats nor the Republicans deserve to be caricatured and generalized on these very complicated issues.

Here are some things we can all do to make the transition productive:

Turn off the TV.

Listen to your heart.

Talk to your friends and family.

Make a move to reach out to people who are different from you. Try to understand.

Read more.

Post something positive on Facebook or Instagram. (Not political nonsense!)

Go to Church. Connect with people. Make a commitment to meet one new person each week at the place you worship.

Make eye contact with people you meet. Try to remember names and faces.

Call an old friend or a relative. Connect!

If you are afraid, talk to someone. In this world, there are both real and imagined fears. We can’t afford to waste time on imagined fears.

Identify a cause that you believe in. Dedicate time to learning more about it. Volunteer your time to promote it.

Try to understand people who think differently than you. The best way to make an argument for one issue is to take the other side. We had to do this in law school-- Argue for the plaintiff and then turn it around and argue for the defendant. Amazing how much more clearly you see things!

One of the things that worry me about this election is that people who are disappointed are taking to the streets and protesting. Sometimes your candidate doesn’t win. It happens to all of us. But you get another chance. We’ll have another election before you know it! You don’t have to go underground until then, but protesting because you lost isn’t productive. Working for change is noble – rioting is not.

The USA is strong and good. We are a very generous people. Let’s be generous with each other. I am always encouraged about the future of our country when I have the chance to visit with my children’s friends. These young adults are bright and engaged in the world. They are doing good work, and have a strong work ethic. I wish some of them would enter the world of politics and become our next leaders.

And finally: Stop. Take a breath. Did you see what happened the day after the Election? The sun rose. The world turned. It’s okay!

No one said that democracy was easy. Remember that there is more that unites us than divides us. Give thanks to God that we have a country where we can vote and speak up about our opinions and our beliefs. Now go out and do something positive!

Blessings,
Barb