All sides treated the other poorly, now we need to acknowledge that and make a change.

So here we are a day shy of 1 week post election day and while there is a projected winner there is still plenty of controversy and unease.

On Sunday at Mass I was reminded of part of a speech former President George W Bush made in Dallas at a memorial service for slain police officers.

At times, it seems like the forces pulling us apart are stronger than the forces binding us together.

Argument turns too easily into animosity. Disagreement escalates too quickly into dehumanization.Too often, we judge other groups by their worst examples, while judging ourselves by our best intentions.

And this is …And this has strained our bonds of understanding and common purpose. But Americans, I think, have a great advantage. To renew our unity, we only need to remember our values.   Source

 

I know that I need to remember that, especially when I read about groups that are looking to make lists to 'punish' people that had worked with the Trump Administration.  That is a scary concept, and it should scare everyone regardless of where you fall on the political spectrum.  I also find it scary that people will demonize or criticize others that try to reach across the divide to work on specific issues. 

I am hoping that some of the sentiments I am seeing from some major left leaning influencers take hold with everyone in this nation, and we all embrace it.  Things like:  

"I would implore everybody who’s celebrating today to remember that it’s good to be a humble winner. Remember when I was here four years ago, remember how bad that felt 

Remember that half the country right now still feels that way. Please remember that. ... You gotta find a way to live your life. You gotta find a way to forgive each other. You gotta find a way to find joy in your existence, in spite of that feeling.”  Dave Chapelle  

But (Bill) Maher suggested that Trump supporters ” just see the world differently.

“I think he’s a terrible leader, but I don’t think that it’s terrible that there’s diversity in the Black community. Or in any community,” the host said

I also understand why people that identify on with the right may be hesitant to embrace this after 4 years of being told that they were, evil, racist, bigoted, stupid, deplorable etc.   But the fact is that someone has to be be the bigger person, and we are all tired of the political mess and the polarization of the nation.  At some point we have to put a fork in it and change direction.

The right is not blameless in this either, they have had some really bad things to say about those on the left.   I would like to think that we as Americans can change our discourse and be more respectful of each other regardless of where someone else is on the political spectrum.  We are all human, we are someone's brother, sister, daughter, son, wife, husband, friend, etc.  We are not an idea, cause, or activity, those are just things that make us humans, individuals.