No matter what happens—no matter who you have voted for on 8 November—on 9 November, your actions and words matter.
The last year has brought to the forefront that which was hidden between blades of grass in an open field: racism, fear, hate, misogyny, and the mainstreaming of appalling behavior and language. And I want to thank Donald Trump for bringing us all into the conversation in ways none of us could have ever predicted.
I'm not going to pretend there will be smooth sailing on 9 November for anyone. There will not be a sigh of relief. Instead, we will be on edge waiting for the aftershocks of violence and protests that may follow this nasty, 9.0 magnitude election of epic destruction. It would be naive to expect everyone to accept the outcome after all the rhetoric that has debased our human decency and gone far in attempting to undermine our democratic process.
Once the dust has settled, the rebuilding process will begin. Like a phoenix rising from the ashes, this is a window of opportunity for America to continue the many conversations that we started during this election cycle. If we have learned anything about some Americans during the last 18 months, it's that they are dissatisfied with government and their lives and they want change. But change goes far beyond the ballot box. It is not up to our elected officials to do everything for us. We must do much of it ourselves.
According to Dictionary.com, one definition of a politician is: a seeker or holder of public office, who is more concerned about winning favor or retaining power than about maintaining principles.
Most Americans can agree this is a fitting definition of the candidates we have to choose from this year. How did we get here? Apathy on the part of everyone, myself included. It's easy to live in a bubble and shut everyone else out. It's easier to kick people out of our lives who are not like minded than to have substantive conversations about issues and respectfully disagree. If you don't believe me, think about how many people you've cut off this election cycle from your social media accounts. I've done it myself.
Part of this contentiousness between differing view points is a consequence of social media. We are inundated with information at home and work. It's natural to filter out information that is in disagreement with our beliefs and feelings. And managing the first amendment in the social media age is tricky.
The Federal Communication Commission, led by five commissioners who are political appointees, does not fact check our media. That would be communistic not to mention impossible. Instead, we have profit seeking, competitive media sources that rely on journalistic integrity, editorials, sensationalism, and reputation to propel information. And most Americans feel it's untrustworthy; no one knows who or what to believe anymore. But it's incumbent on consumers to fact check and not parrot information. Why? Because the average consumer cannot parse out what is an editorial and what is fact without slant. But here's the catch, most people don't, nor do they have the time or the desire. So now what?
People want to be able to trust the information they receive. But how? Personally, I turn to non-profits and international news like National Public Radio, the BBC, and Al Jezeera. I also read many different things including research from universities and scientific studies. I have Fox News, CNN, and MSNBC apps on my phone and I compare who is covering what. It's easy to see the political leanings of each based on what they cover and what they don't. Consumers should review information from many sources, especially sources that don't have a dog in the fight ... or at least ... less of one. When it comes to POTUS, however, there isn't a person on Earth that doesn't have a stake in this election.
Besides being an informed voter and citizen, the next thing any of us can do is be a decent human being who treats others with respect. There is only one race, and that is the Human Race. It doesn't mean you have to like everyone, but you ought to respect your human siblings no matter their skin color, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual preference, or any other difference they have from you. If we were all alike, this world would suck. Isn't that what Jesus said?
Restraint of pen and tongue and having compassion are stalwart behaviors of good hearted people with even-keeled temperaments.
Hold the mantra "Do No Harm" at the forefront of your mind and act on it.
Rally for the things you are passionate about. Don't wait for an election to voice your position on your passion.
To thine own self be true. Be honest with yourself and with others. If your are changing your views solely to protect your position, don't. There is no worse regret than being untrue to yourself. And these days, almost everything you say and do is being captured by someone somewhere with a cell phone or hot mic.
Learn to respectfully disagree with others using substantive based facts to support your argument. If you aren't sure what those are, seek information from universities and libraries before beginning hot topic conversations and remember, sound bites are not supporting evidence.
If you are not willing to be a positive part of the change process, get your passport ready. Emigration is always an option. Canada's migration policy.
And then of course, there is revolution.
And just in case DJT wins this election I have one final plea:
Sane Republicans, if Donald wins, please do your best to clean up your party and get some qualified, decent people to represent America in Congress. I give you permission to continue being the party of NO as long as DJT is in office. This will prove this social experiment failed and give us a chance to recover more quickly with fewer setbacks.
Michelle, if Hillary does not win, would you please consider asking Bernie to be your running mate in 2020? And if Hillary does win, please consider running in 2024.
Thanks.
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