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All Election Eve ( Vol. 4, No. 36) We’ve created monsters. Undoubtedly, some people just like to be ugly. They glory in exploiting the perceived weaknesses of others. They relish the taste of sharp words that attack any one who stands in front of them – or sometimes even beside them. Then there are others. These are men and women who, in most instances, don’t choose to be difficult. They are individuals of character who have a great willingness to serve. They are leaders, statesmen, and visionaries. And in a democracy, they’re also politicians. The political process, as it was intended, is not evil. It was simply a way for voters to learn where candidates stood on issues and what they were like as people. Most of us remember from our history classes that early politicians came together to debate on issues. Some of the greatest language of our national history is pulled from these events and from the countless writings that were produced to inform, educate, and persuade. But things have changed. The information function of the political process is wholly different now. We’re functioning in a world of sound-bites. Quick, pithy, sometimes biting, sentences that can be grabbed and aired in a 15-second opening. Unfortunately, most sound-bites aren’t wonderfully made. Not only are they taken out of context by the media and by opponents, they’re also often interjected by the candidates at inappropriate times. Politics is a game. And it’s a game in which no one enlists in order to lose. So the players play to win.
Thus, most of the emotion of the race is based on misinformation, conjecture, gossip, and a degree of hatefulness. And in case you didn’t hear me say it, it’s because we have allowed this sort of emotion to rule the day. I realize that there are central principles and values that must be protected at all costs. But, as I’ve grown older, I’ve come to another realization. Often , I don’t really know what others think or feel or need – or what their central values and principles are. We have become a society that promotes antagonistic behavior. We target people who are different. Most often we don’t like people we don’t know. And we don’t know people because we don’t have or take the time to listen to what they have to say. When I’m called on to help resolve a conflict as a mediator, I most often see a positive result because of the desires of the parties to experience reconciliation. But occasionally, I uncover people who want the conflict more than they want the reconciliation. With those folks, resolution won’t come. Instead of peace, they will know only bitterness. And they will try to convince everyone around them that bitterness is a fitting state of mind for those who are uniquely positioned to be right all of the time. The monsters we’ve created aren’t the politicians or the people who run their campaigns. The monsters are us. We’re not much different from the cheering crowds in Jesus told us that the world will watch the way we treat people. That’s the way that God is best shared. As we watch the election results unfold, I hope we can all leave bitterness behind, look for reconciliation, and remember what brings us together.
Shine On!
copyright 2004 Joe L. Cope
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