I’ve been trying hard to avoid politics. We’re just weeks from the presidential election, and it’s impossible to escape. Even the birds outside my home are unusually chirpy, and they’re probably arguing about the pets in Springfield, Ohio or the next government shutdown.
Eventually, either Trump or Harris will lose. This will not go down easily. As Trump often says, he always wins, so he and his supporters did not take his 2020 loss very well. Harris’s fans say a Trump win would be disastrous, so I doubt they will be doing cartwheels if they’re on the short end of the electoral college scoreboard.
The best we can hope for is a gracious concession speech from the defeated party. That in itself is a lost art. The best concession speeches are done with humility and respect.
Many years ago in a small southern town, a longtime mayor lost his bid for re-election. He apparently believed he had earned the right to be mayor for life. When the results were announced, the winning candidate said all the right things. He thanked the outgoing mayor for his service, and asked for unity.
Unfortunately, the losing incumbent was not so gracious. He told the local newspaper, “Lord, please forgive the voters, for they know not what they do.” The voters saw to it that he never won another election.
I think back to some hard-fought presidential elections. Reagan unseated Carter in 1980. Bush 41 was ousted from office by Clinton in 1992. In 2000, we were in limbo for weeks until the Supreme Court determined the outcome of Bush 43 vs. Gore. When a winner was finally declared, we celebrated (or sulked) for a day or two, and then went back to watching football and raking leaves.
What’s different this year? Everything. Let’s start with social media. In simpler times, I didn’t know if my neighbor was a “lib” or a “rightie.” Same goes for the people I worked with in my twenties. I didn’t know who they voted for, and I didn’t care. But now, we’re all Facebook friends and I can’t avoid the political stench. What started out as a fun site to see your cousin’s new baby, cute pets, or colorful garden is now more like a cockfighting pit.
Despite the fact that absolutely no one changes their mind after reading Aunt Bertha’s political rants, that doesn’t stop her. And we can’t unfriend her. How will we know when her parakeet has a cold?
But since we cannot count on the politicians to be civil, we have to do it ourselves. If you would like to be among those who are part of the solution, please take The 2024 Election Pledge. Put your hand over your heart and repeat after me:
“I, (state your name), do solemnly swear that I will not make my friends or family uncomfortable with my political views. I will not post any political photos or memes on my social media accounts unless I am certain they are fair, accurate and undoctored. Also, when this election is over, I will still love the United States of America. I recognize that we are a diverse nation of many backgrounds and beliefs, but first and foremost we are united. I will put aside any partisan differences and support the winner, whoever it may be. I will do so because if the president succeeds, we all succeed. If in my opinion the president is not successful, I can support a different candidate or party four years from now. I will ignore the angry one-sided voices in the media who thrive on spreading fear and hatred. I will ask forgiveness, and I will forgive. I will lift up America, and I will encourage my family and friends to do the same.”
Clip or print that paragraph, sign it and save it. Share it with others. Hang it on the wall or post it on the fridge. If we can’t make this commitment, the division will only get worse.
Will most people take the pledge? Probably not. But if you and I can agree to make our world a better place, that’s a start.
David Carroll is a Chattanooga news anchor, and his new book “I Won’t Be Your Escape Goat” is available on his website, ChattanoogaRadioTV.com. You may contact him at 900 Whitehall Road, Chattanooga, TN 37405, or at RadioTV2020@yahoo.com.
