Glad to exercise my right to vote today. I love my country. However, having lived for a time in others, I have seen the resulting agonies of civic collapse. I write this with the prayer that when the dust of this election settles, my US friends will seek ways of peace, and leave their vitriol behind.
Very dignified, kind and beautiful people and cultures, in nations around the world, have known times of murderous civil unrest, no access to food, fear of neighbor and government. No matter one's views on "American Exceptionalism," a look across the pages of our own history should shock us back into the humbling truth that we US Americans are not immune to these potential horrific realities.
As I read those saying: "I can't wait for this election to be over," I get it. But there is also an underlying implication that we are exempt from the suffering which our fomented hatred and divisive rhetoric can levy.
There is a limit to the amount of pressure a society can take from the raging, hateful, selfish banter rehearsed day after day on our media outlets--especially social media ones. Are we superior to other cultures who have more recent experiences of societal melt-down? I fear that we are not.
This seems to be our take: "Our nation is divided, and I'm on the right side." Before pushing that point too hard, ask yourself if you love your "enemies," or, if you would prefer to live in a war zone?
We are not exempt.
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And so today, nearly two years later,
- How do you choose to live and love?
- How much news do you need to watch?
- How many talk shows do you need to follow in order to memorize "your" beliefs?
- How are your preferred civic leaders speaking, tweeting or commenting in peaceful ways?
We have turned a corner away from working together, and our new destination is not a pleasant one.
If any choose to comment here or on Facebook, I ask you to keep it civil, humble and (dare I dream?) hopeful.
