And Now What? After the 2020 Presidential Election "Day"

It is one week, since our going to the polls has halted. Has anything been settled? This is what I know at this point in terms of the political, psychological, emotional and collective space in which the country I live dwells.

Half of the country is angry. Half of the country, or too many in their ranks is supporting someone who has not celebrated the unity of the many people who comprise this country for four years. Half of the country, or too many in their ranks, is supporting the leader of this country who has not definitively stated that hate crimes, rampant prejudice and discrimination and all that goes with that is WRONG under all and any circumstances. Half of the country, or too many in their ranks are making excuses for the constant drumroll of horrible statements about women, people of color, people of different faiths, people from other countries, those with various differences (disabilities) etc. made by the leader of this country during the past four years. Half of the country, or too many in their ranks, are supporting the notion that there are two ways – their way or socialism. Too many in these ranks are supporting a Supreme Court that may overturn the results of hard-fought battles to insure the rights for all, the OPTION (NOT the obligatory buy in) of Universal Health Care for those in need, and the right of a woman to make APPROPRIATE DECISIONS about her body. Half of the country, or too many in their ranks, will not even consider using Fact Check or looking at media forms with which they do not agree.

Half of the country is relieved and concerned. Half of the country, or too many in their ranks are painting all Republicans as white supremacists, hatemongers, and KKK enthusiasts. Half of the country, or too many of them, is calling the entire other side Fascists. Half of the country, or too many in their ranks are listening to those who are still screaming from the other side and not the voices of reason. Half of the country, or too many in their midst are painting our options as right or not-right, not understanding that we will ALL have to compromise to find a ground where we can co-exist. Half of the country is not watching media platforms with which they disagree. Half of the country, or many in their midst DO NOT agree with each other within the half but DO agree that we have to work together in some way to find a better way.

Half of the country is being painted as Socialist and anti-police when this is inaccurate. Half of the country is being painted as terrorists and explosive when this is inaccurate. We must reintroduce ourselves to each other and learn how to speak about issues and differences in approach instead of calling each other names or using inaccurate and explosively poor labels to collapse everyone into THE OTHER SIDE. Those of us in each of these halves who are reasonable, who want peace and well-being for all and may differ in how to achieve this need to relearn how to negotiate and figure out how to come together.

We are at war, not with a foreign intrusive power, but with each other and this is terrible. This can destroy who we are as the United States of America much more profoundly than any outside agent. WE ARE ALL part of this country – and WE ALL must get along or we will implode! People of all colors, religions, ethnicities, lands of origin, political bents MUST learn that we will all not be 100% happy 100% of the time, BUT the name-calling, disrespect, and disregard for each other will NOT help us move forward.

We do in fact have (at least) two very different entities (though if we look closer, it is more) within the United States of America, causing us not to be so united. As a moderate, who believes that we have to stop speaking in extremes, I would challenge all of us to consider what we agree on, honestly and openly.

Don’t defund the police; educate the police. Don’t defend the right to free speech when it leads to irreparable violence; teach how we can agree to disagree, and why we must do so, protecting and properly using our freedom of speech. Don’t separate yourself from your neighbors, you will need them. Don’t just think about yourself, think about others. Don’t just confine your news outlets to what you agree with; listen to all and demand that they report news correctly and accurately. Do demand that we speak with respect with each other. Do ask questions so we can all work towards a better understanding of each other. Do be consistent and remember that rules are supposed to be followed by all sides at all times consistently. Do remember that if you do not show concern for me, how can you expect that I will for you?

We learn in the Bible/Torah that Balaam was sent to curse the Israelites on behalf of Balak, and then could not do so when he saw how peacefully they were living together and how much they helped and cared about each other. What would happen today if Balaam visited the United States? That is what makes me sad beyond words. As Lord Rabbi Jonathan Sacks z’l has taught so consistently, we must stand up for the other and try to understand his/her perspective if we have any expectation of that person doing so for us. Empathy and understanding and kindness will save us; hatred and name-calling and intolerance will not.

What do we do now after The Elections?

I am writing this on Tuesday November 3, 2020 at 12:40 pm in the afternoon. There is a great deal of nervous energy, fear, concern and so much else all around us on so many levels. So many feel these sentiments and in many cases for vastly different reasons. What WILL our world look like and what will the future portend tomorrow morning, in four days, in a few weeks? How will we all react and adjust – for no matter who is elected as President of the United States and who controls the Senate and Congress, there is so much work to do.

The Hate Crimes rate is at an all-time high according to the FBI, ADL and other monitoring groups. Virtually all groups that could be seen as minorities or different (e.g. not white home-grown Americans, whatever that is) are at risk. ALL LIVES MATTER and it is so sad to me that we have to even say that.

We have all felt the impact of the Corona virus as it has wreaked havoc in our lives in so many ways. Entire industries and areas of activity are compromised, have to close or pare down, and generally we are all stressed due to limitations on our activities and many feeling that their world is so much smaller without travel, seeing close friends and family, working and schooling at home and so on. The environment is also dealing its blows with climate change and so many people feeling the results of horrendou storms and worse.

Concerns about voter suppression and attempts to control the election are rampant. Respect for too many of our leaders and the offices they hold has been severely compromised and not even held by too many. This country and its foundational principles are very much in question and too many of us feel that this is not the USA we have known all of our lives, with its warts, imperfections, disagreements and conflicts.

This election, regardless of the results WILL NOT SOLVE ALL OF THESE PROBLEMS, but rather hopefully signal the beginning of the extremely hard work it will take to address them. We know all too well it is much easier to let go of standards of behavior and ethical barometers than to put them back into their proper place. We will have to commit ourselves to doing this together and in many cases to work across differences in doing so, in order to begin addressing all of the other challenges that confront us collectively.

It is my fervent hope that we can all begin this work soon, and as fearful as I am that this may not be the case, I am just as concerned about relationships, families and friendships that have been compromised in THIS CIVIL WAR of words, screaming, violence and lack of understanding and empathy. There is a piece going around on Facebook reminding us that our family and friends, our neighbors and community members and all those in our orbit will still be here to help each other, to raise each other up to the challenges that await us or the reality that may require more perseverance and patience on our part than we think we even have. Let us all COMMIT TODAY BEFORE THE COUNTING OF THE VOTES TO BE HERE FOR EACH OTHER. CALL SOMEONE WHOSE POLITICS ARE DIFFERENT THAN YOURS AND REMIND THEM YOU LOVE THEM. For tomorrow, or next week, or next month some people will definitely be upset and we need to be here to support and help each other. Only then will we be able to move forward.

May G-d above truly bless all of us, the United States of America and shine light on us as we have been experiencing way too much darkness.