The overall stress, and even strains on relationships, that happen during an election year is by design. The more educated we become as a society, the more complex decisions become. This is the type of situation for which our right to free speech became necessary. Our lay campaign system was initiated the moment Gen. George Washington turned down the offer to be the king of our newly freed nation. Sure, the onus is on the candidates to work hard to get votes, but discourse between the citizens is what really drives campaigns. An election is a competition. It creates conflict on purpose.
Author Larry Dixon once said, “If two people were exactly alike, one of them would be unnecessary.” Although the premise of this quote is true, we place it on a shelf every election year as citizens’ individual voices decide our future. During this time, we want everyone else to think the same way we do because we all believe we are right.
People act shocked that that there are so many differing views, as though this is something that happened with the invention of social media. The reality is there are, and always have been, as many views as there are people. Social media is the equivalent of everyone being able to write a letter to the editor of the newspaper at the same time and all of them getting printed immediately.
It used to be considered rude to discuss politics. However, I learned about politics from my grandfather, who was definitely not rude. I doubt everyone in Greenfield walked away in silence after Truman stopped here during his whistle-stop campaign. Political yard signs, bumper stickers, candidate flags and T-shirts are political conversations. Even though no words are uttered, it is the same as hitting the send button on that post or tweet. That is what is great about this country. We all get thrown into the ring with the candidates, and we must work it out verbally.
Of course, there are always attempts to silence the conversation. If big tech opposes what is being published, they have now decided it is their right to censor it. We see actual violence from the left in an attempt to create one-sided speech. Manipulative people try to silence those with opposing views by attempting to turn family and friends against them. This is a legitimate threat, but not a winning strategy. The hope is we learned enough from this election cycle to have measures in place to protect free speech before the next one. But before we get ahead of ourselves, we need to begin healing from the battle that is this election. Half of us won’t feel like it, but for the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must. Some have threatened to “blow it all up” if President Trump is re-elected. That idea was already used in a symbolic way, and many recognized it as a way to move forward.
Before the internet, the most annoying part of campaigns was the nonstop political advertisements on the radio. I grew up listening to Gary Burbank on the Cincinnati radio station 700 WLW. Every November, after the elections, he would “blow up” the ads via sound effects on radio. “Thanks to the economic policies of my opponent…” KABOOM! It was not only humorous, but it signaled the battle was over. We could all shake hands and move forward. The competition between each other was over. It was up to Washington to work out their differences as our focus turned to the upcoming holidays. We didn’t think about presidential elections again for three years.
Perhaps this still works. If we all mentally “blow up” the campaign noise and refuse to give the media endless free reign in our minds, we can heal together. The power and influence of social media and cable news exists because we give it to them. Turn them off and look for how you can make the part of the world in front of you better.
Regardless of the results of these elections we will all still be here, together, when it is over. Kindness has no political affiliation. Do something for somebody and don’t ask for anything in return. Hug it out and move on. And guess what? We will all have different views when the next election rolls around. We will have the opportunity to be better, but there will still be conflict. It is OK, though. It is how it was designed.
Dennis Cole is a husband of 30 years, father of four and a resident of Greenfield. Send comments to [email protected].
