Thank God it is Election Day. My votes have been cast, and I am thankful
for the privilege, but I am also glad it is over. Never in my life do I recall being so ready
to be past election day, never do I recall being harassed to this extent by
phone calls, by people extolling me to vote, to vote for their candidate, over
10 calls in the last two days from one party alone, not counting the other
side.
Whatever happened to civilized conversation? What happened to the idea that two people
could sit down and discuss their different views rationally, considering and
respecting the other person’s arguments if they were rationally thought out and
well presented? Whatever happened to the
idea that people did not judge their friends or acquaintances solely by what
political dogma they believed, or what religious beliefs they held?
the wrong reasons, simply because I was so frustrated at being harangued by
some narrow-minded individual, an individual who was trying to muster
votes for his candidate, a candidate for
whom I had planned on voting before our encounter (and whom I did in fact vote
for). But if I changed my vote out of
anger and prejudice, I would be guilty of the same thing that I find so frustrating.
parties. He asked if we would vote for
one of the candidates. We have both been
undecided in this particular race, both waffling, but at that point G honestly
responded that he was leaning toward the other side, although he had not yet
fully decided. Instead of offering
arguments and discussion attempting to sway G, this party representative became abusive and harangued
both of us, telling G he should “stay home and not vote”. I suppose he thinks you are only allowed to
vote if you hold the “right” beliefs.
In
an obviously misguided attempt to help the situation, (this person was
attempting to block access to our car) I truthfully informed the same person
that I was going to vote for his candidate, even though that meant I might only
cancel out G’s vote. After another
tirade, I was told that I should stay home and not vote as well. When I asked why, I was told that I shouldn’t
vote because I was married to “him” (G, the one voting for the other
candidate). I didn’t realize that choice of spouse
determined one’s right to vote in this country. Nor did I realize that we had given up the freedom of speech or
independent thought.
who was up against a popular incumbent, alienating the very voters who were
going to support his candidate in the poles seems very short-sighted. To tell the truth I was more offended by his
comment that I shouldn’t vote because of my choice of spouse than by the
insults tossed at that very same “wrong-voting” spouse. I suppose I have just become inured to
political bigotry, but I cannot accept the idea that the rights our ancestors
fought so hard to gain can be so flippantly cast aside.
I once thought that intelligent people could discuss issues
and agree to disagree, I thought intelligent people could respect each other’s
opinions even if they did not always agree on specifics. G and I have discussed aspects of this
election extensively, and although we usually vote alike we do not always. We do however, always listen to each other’s
arguments. I can fully understand G’s
reservations about both candidates, I have many of the same reservations, but
my conclusions are different. We both
tend to be independent thinkers and neither one of us has ever been a straight
party-line voter. I suppose that puts us
in the group everyone loves to hate. The
thing we both accept is that if we wish the right to form our own opinions, and
respect the intelligence of the other, we must also accept that they will
sometimes form opinions different from our own. Respect allows for this.
But I suppose some people don’t feel that we have the right
to disagree. And that makes me very
nervous, no matter which “side” they are on. I am tired of the left demonizing
the right and the right demonizing the left. I am tired of everyone toeing the party line, of no one daring to
express a contrary opinion.
the future.