Anger Management - Saving Democracy

The 2020 general election will be held in a few days and people seem to be reaching the point where they are angry about everything. I recently saw someone post a question online asking why are one side's supporters so angry. I thought it was a good question and I gave it some real thought, reaching a set of conclusions I believed were factual observations and were hopefully impartial.

Ha! I'd better think again!

I received a barrage of replies about my demeaning statements. Clearly, I'd hit a nerve even thought I tried to avoid doing so. Sadly, it seems there is very little communication happening -- definitely not occurring between the two party lines and now its apparent one can't even talk about possible causes for the great divide without insulting someone.

I'm a proud Independent Voter. I prefer to chose the best candidates regardless of their party affiliation. That used to work, but in the last 20 or so years its come to voting for the least bad candidates because there aren't any best choices. How did we get into this extreme opposition situation? Obviously this is a complex and difficult question to answer. None-the-less, I'm finding the very fundamentals of what I think being an American means have been shattered and I'm questioning if it can be put back together again.

People are very angry - anger is an emotional response. Emotions blind us to thinking logically. We are on the spiral path to the bottom once anger gets to the levels we are now seeing. Consider this...

There can be no logic when there is anger. 

Without logic, there can be no cooperation. 

Without cooperation, there can be no compromise. 

Without compromise, there can be no agreement. 

Without agreement, there can be no United States of America!

I know I've over-simplified this, but that is how I see things. It's a slippery slope we're on and together we need to find the break handle and pull hard, together to stop this thing we call our country from plunging out of control. I do think it's this simple. But it will be very hard to actually do.

I'm willing. Are you?

Taking Stock

 A few months have passed and I thought it was a great time to take stock.

In these months of being shutdown, wearing a mask and adhering to social distancing mandates, I feel just fine. I've altered my life to fit the circumstances. And, it was not all that difficult to do. Granted...

• I do not have school-aged children to care for while working from home.
• My elder parents passed in 2018, so those concerns were no longer present.
• The company I work for has promised to let us work remotely until this pandemic has ceased.
• My customers are also working remotely, so there's no pressure to make in-person calls in their workplace.
• I live in a neighborhood where we have plenty of open space and can walk safely.
• My house is on a wooded lot, so I can enjoy nature without dealing with other people.
• I have a great life mate who takes good care of me (does the shopping!)

In other words, I am very fortunate!

This pandemic has given us the opportunity of a lifetime to reexamine our lives and the choices we make. Because of the shutdown, we have more time to reflect and yes, deal with the impacts this situation has forced upon us. I feel for the small business owners who are struggling to stay in business and am so sad for those who lost the battle. I am grateful to the people working in health care who are on the front line helping the sick and for those who are working to keep the rest of us healthy. I am amazed at the fortitude of parents and teachers embracing change to make learning work for our children while keeping them safe. 

On the other hand, I am dismayed by our national response. As Americans I would have thought we'd pull together to deal with these difficult and life-threatening circumstances, finding ways to make things safer and even better when we emerge from the pandemic. I always believed what made our democracy the model for the world was how much we cared about each other and how we found ways to work together. Sadly, this threat has only proved we are not the people I thought we were.

I have no answers except one... Vote! 

If you are unhappy with how things are today, you have the power to change them! And, the chance to do so is less than a month away. Anyone who choses to not vote has forfeited their right to complain.

I don't know how things will turn out, but I do know it all depends on how many people turnout!