Looking back - Looking forward

I am looking so forward to Wednesday. I'm always tired of politics and political campaigns about a week after registration begins, so there's nothing new there.  But this political season and this presidential election  seems to be particularly vicious.

I know that many of the democrat supporters are truly inspired by the guy with the pretty words.  The republicans felt the same way back in 1980.  Nothing new there.  I also know that many of his supporters are voting for him out of hate for the other side, namely George W. Bush.  Of course most would never admit it.  They've found plenty of info to show how their guy can solve all of our problems and save us money at the same time.  Fine.  If he gets the chance, I hope he does.  The republicans have done much the same with some respect for the war hero and lots of hate for the liberials.  Nothing really new there except the amount of hate seems to be higher this time around.

But I can not escape the feeling that a lot of hate on both sides has spilled over from the campaign into daily lives.  Normally friendly, rational people have taken to relentlessly badgering their friends about getting out to vote, make calls, go to this rally, etc, as if everyone else doesn't have a brain in their head.   If you think newly born-again Christian or recent non-smokers are irritating, they have nothing on these political supporters.  The mis-information that is flying around in blogs, emails, and other channels on both sides is just mind-bloggling (new term).  I quick check of most of it show the lies for what they are, but like all good urban myths, those who forward this stuff would rather believe than check.  It is easy to do when you get excited.

They've also taken to calling each other names that we would never use in person.  In the name of (pick a candidate), it is OK to call others idiots, biggots, sexist, nazi, morons and much more.  The insults are rarely so obvious.  The usually come out as "You''d have to be numb in the head to ..." or "The only reason I could imagine that you wouldn't vote for candidate X would be that you are a (insert derogatory term from above)".  If you've taken a public side in this fight, go back and read some of what you've written.  You may owe some apologies.

After tomorrow, we will have a president-elect who will champion bipartisanship and will eventually make some token appointments to show his commitment.  Expect the word "heal" and "healing" to be tossed around like a football at a Manning family reunion, but nothing will change here.  George W. Bush came in with these promises, and the new president will, too.  They will end up the same and it will be the other sides fault.  Each side will still blame the other for all of our problems and will give their side a pass.  The party that is in power will do what they can to keep the party out of power out of power.  Those of us who feel deeply will eventually be hurt and those of us who think will shake our heads in amazement and/or disgust.  In other words, not much is going to change.  But we don't have to disrespect each other so much in the process, do we?

So to those who save the world tomorrow from those evil other-siders, congratulations.  Enjoy the victory.  But once the party is done and the world sweeps up the confetti, remember what it felt like the last time your side lost and do something personal to heal the wounds that this battle has caused. To not do so would be, well, like those other guys and you are better than that.

Where I have been guilty of the above, I apologize.  My hope is that the world will seem like a better place on Wednesday.  It has got to be a little quieter.