Today, the nation holds it breath, consumed with anticipation and dare I say hope. Today, we are a nation that is divided, divided by our political ideology. Months of campaigning, media frenzies, and excitement by each party’s respective volunteers and base has split us based on whether we plan (or have) cast our ballot for either Senator Obama or Senator McCain.
I have not made a secret of where my allegiance has been during this election. And tonight, I plan on watching with anticipation as the results are reported state by state. I feel as if the country has decided that it is time for a change and I have been proud to be a part of that initiative.
But what happens tomorrow? There can only be one victor. We are a nation that, ideally, is united, regardless of our differences. But the past 8 years has proven that we are anything but united. The nation became entrenched in their respective ideologically driven battles after Bush v. Gore and has remained that way with the exception of the months surrounding 9-11.
No, I’m not naïve enough to believe that our nation has never been divided or that a utopian society is possible. Over the years, divisions have arisen over many issues, including abortion in the 1970s and Civil Rights in the 1960s to name a few. With that said, tomorrow, we will have to find a way to put aside our differences so that we can work together.
Also, tomorrow will not mean, ‘to the victor goes the spoils.’ Since my prediction is that this year will be a Democratic victory for both the presidency and in congress, we (as Democrats) cannot ramrod our ideals through congress at the expense of others. Coalition building still needs to be at the heart of all of the initiatives.
So tomorrow, after the celebrations, the mourning, the history making (either way it is), and things begin to return to normal, I encourage us, as a nation, to see beyond the platforms of the political parties and instead look next door at our neighbors, family members, and colleagues so that we can work together to make this nation great. Because what is at stake is more than just an election, it is the principles behind ‘United We Stand.’
I have not made a secret of where my allegiance has been during this election. And tonight, I plan on watching with anticipation as the results are reported state by state. I feel as if the country has decided that it is time for a change and I have been proud to be a part of that initiative.
But what happens tomorrow? There can only be one victor. We are a nation that, ideally, is united, regardless of our differences. But the past 8 years has proven that we are anything but united. The nation became entrenched in their respective ideologically driven battles after Bush v. Gore and has remained that way with the exception of the months surrounding 9-11.
No, I’m not naïve enough to believe that our nation has never been divided or that a utopian society is possible. Over the years, divisions have arisen over many issues, including abortion in the 1970s and Civil Rights in the 1960s to name a few. With that said, tomorrow, we will have to find a way to put aside our differences so that we can work together.
Also, tomorrow will not mean, ‘to the victor goes the spoils.’ Since my prediction is that this year will be a Democratic victory for both the presidency and in congress, we (as Democrats) cannot ramrod our ideals through congress at the expense of others. Coalition building still needs to be at the heart of all of the initiatives.
So tomorrow, after the celebrations, the mourning, the history making (either way it is), and things begin to return to normal, I encourage us, as a nation, to see beyond the platforms of the political parties and instead look next door at our neighbors, family members, and colleagues so that we can work together to make this nation great. Because what is at stake is more than just an election, it is the principles behind ‘United We Stand.’
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2 comments:
Well said!
Agreed ;)
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