We have the ability to see past political parties, and our differences
So, I guess there’s a little election happening today?
I’m not an overly political person, but it has actually been quite hard to avoid knowing about this election from the number of commercials on the television, radio, and various forms of social media. There seem to be many messages being bandied about, but despite the individual content of them, the overarching theme seems to be to vote along party lines.
I have always found this to be a challenging philosophy.
I can remember clearly debating this point with a teacher in high school (decades ago!), who believed he was doing his civic duty by taking elderly people to the polls and showing them how to punch a straight-party ticket. I told him I believed he was missing the entire point; that being able to vote between two candidates meant that we were able to weigh them, measure them, and decide which one would be best in that particular office.
He told me that he knew he was voting for some bad candidates by going straight party, but that was part of the democratic process. And I remember replying that the democratic process allows for us to pick anyone who was running, regardless of political party, and that helped us to be able to weed out those bad candidates.
I still believe that anyone who votes should go down through the list of names and pick the candidate best suited for the job, regardless of their political party.
On a broader scale, I believe this inability to see past political party is akin to the inability to see past skin color, religion, and even basic differences in parenting styles. It seems that no one can get along with anyone who disagrees with them – on anything – and that we want to be surrounded by clones of our own perception and our own thoughts.
What a terrible way to live!
Some of my best conversations come from people who are different from me. Who worship differently. Who look different. Those who are different ages who are different in their politics.
The conversations that I enjoy with these people not only give them a glimpse into who they are, but a glimpse into who I am. Does what I believe stand the test? Does my faith ring true?
If we are only to speak to those who are exactly like us, then haven’t we missed the whole point? I’m not talking about any specific issue here, and I’m not talking about any specific person, either.
I’m talking about all of us. Collectively.
We are responsible for the world we leave our children, and our inability to have civil discourse is one of the greatest challenges we are giving them to overcome. We need to remember that it’s a mixture of belief that has made us what we are.
It’s time to reunify under that belief and to relearn the skill of talking it out on all the other issues. Do your research, seek your conscience, pray for guidance.
And then vote.
Laura Zoeller can be reached at zoeller5@verizon.net.