Accepting and Respecting the ElectionBy
election day (or week, or month, or inaugu- ration year, depending on when you’re reading this)!
By the end of today, this week, or at the very least, this month, we will have the results of the election. No matter who has won, roughly half of the country is going to be very angry, upset, frustrated, and disap- pointed.
Whether you are on the “winning side” or the “los- ing side” there is a near cer- tainty that you know, care about, and regularly interact with someone who is on the other side. Once upon a time, Americans knew how to see past their dif- ferences, agree to disagree, and respect one another and opposing opinions. To con- And I hope and pray for tinue to grow and succeed as him as he tries to guide our a country, we must re-learn country in the right direc- that which we have forgot- tion, that he will be success- ten. ful.”
The best example I have Even at the time, my ever seen of this was my father was in the minority. father. He supported Mitt Many conservatives laugh Romney in the 2012 elec- about how liberals reacted tion. when President Trump was
The first time I saw him elected in 2016. after the election, we were They reminisce on Barack sitting in living room of my Obama’s two terms as parents’ home and I asked President of the United him how he felt about the States, and how they ap- election results. I’ll never proached that period with forget what he told me. “I dignity, forgoing insults, didn’t vote for President and complaints. The only Obama, and I don’t agree problem is that it isn’t true. with many of his policies, I remember consistently, but the country has decided, during Obama’s presidency, and he has been elected. No hearing conservatives assert matter what I think of him that Barack Obama was “the or of his policies, I love my antichrist” or the “fulfill- president. I respect him, and ment of the white horse the office which he holds. prophecy.” Suffice it to say, it has been a while since we, as Americans, have done a very good job of loving our officials, respecting them and their office, and wishing them the best as they try to guide our country.
Loving and respecting our officials and wishing them success does not mean that we must agree with every- thing that they say or do. It doesn’t mean that we cannot criticize their decisions or disagree with their policies. It simply means that rather than hope that they make a mistake and are impeached, fall ill, or have their efforts to help our country fail, we support them, appreciate their efforts, recognize their successes, and hope for their continued success.
Riots, protests, and com- plaints about the results will not change them. They will simply show our youth that adults are just as capable of temper tantrums as toddlers are.
So no matter who has just been elected, or which amendments have passed or failed, let us be adults, agree to disagree, love and respect our officials, wish them the best, and focus on the good, rather than the bad.
It won’t change the results, but it may just change how we feel about them, and how we feel about our lives and our situation.
It also may help us to focus on the good around us. And worst case, at least when we try to teach our children that temper tantrums don’t work, we won’t be doing so hypocritically.