At this point very few Americans still wonder who they will vote for on November 3rd. Most of us have chosen for whom we will vote based upon our specific reasons. Millions have already voted; the rest of us wait until Tuesday.
The nation seems split right down the middle between the left and the right. Accentuating this divide, this past summer some of America’s largest cities demonstrated the significance of the divide when peaceful protests during the day turned evil at night. Cities were decimated with riots, violence, and hate. Further, over the past nine months we have all faced the devastation of COVID-19.
We go into next Tuesday’s election weaker than we have been as a nation more than possibly any other time in our history.
State and city governments, utilizing various police agencies and public works departments, prepare for wide-spread demonstrations, unrest, and riots if the election is closely contested. Reports have circulated all year, especially from the left, that unless the left wins, we can all expect violence to erupt all over the fruited plain.
That’s next week.
In light of this, it is not too late to act together in unity. We each have a part we can play. Let me explain.
Reach Out This Weekend
Before the craziness of Tuesday’s election and next week’s response to it, take time this weekend to specifically and intentionally reach out to someone voting for someone differently than you. With just days before the election, seek to be pro-American first this weekend. I’m not suggesting to quit supporting your candidate; instead, I encourage you to reach out to someone else who doesn’t in a show of pro-American, pro-neighbor, pro-unity kindness.
What about your choice for President and all the other down ballot offices?
Continue to encourage others to vote, to consider your talking points, and consider the candidates you support. Post important details you want others to think through and that pertain to them on social media. Go knock doors. Fly a flag. Put up a yard sign. Show solidarity with your candidates and positions.
Your passion for your candidates of choice reflects real goals and your own life agenda. Each of us in reality have many ideas we are thinking through (and praying about) as this election cycle closes. Sharing those as part of the greater community conversation demonstrates taking responsibility for your part and your voice as a citizen.
Showing kindness and unity as citizens of this great country to those who disagree with us does not diminish any of those.
The importance of your voice
In a Constitutional Republic, like the United States, people will disagree. There will be more than just your candidate of choice. Your neighbor may not agree with you. Various parties and various candidates see America through their own partisan ways. They present opposing views of the present condition of our country and promote opposing views of the future.
Yet, each of us has our own individual voice and individual vote. We make the choice who we will vote for in the intimacy of the moment alone with our individual ballots. In that moment, we make our voice known by secret ballot.
Being kind and reaching out to another American – especially one who may disagree with you – does not diminish your voice.
Help make next week better by making today better!
Be a committee of one this weekend to help others understand that you value citizenship and patriotism more than you do winning.
Help your neighbors understand that even in the midst of differing political views related to your candidates or other issues of choice, you recognize that in a democratic Constitutional Republic, we are all in this together.
Whereas your ballot is secret, your pro-American, pro-neighbor view of others should not be.
Many of my readers are followers of Christ. If you follow Christ, it goes much deeper than simply pro-American and pro-neighbor. As a steward of the Gospel of Christ, you owe it to Christ and others to be kind and thoughtful more than merely partisan and divisive.
What can you do?
Don’t delay. Showing support for your country and neighbor as Americans cannot wait until the riots start. We need to act this weekend in ways that reminds those around us in our neighborhoods, among our friend groups, and even to those who are strangers that we respect them as citizens who hold differing views than us. We need to help them recognize that we see past our differences and believe together we are better as a nation.
Do you need to give up your opinions? No. Passionately engage in the public square. Share your opinion as part of the community dialog. Let others know why you believe your choices are not just good for you but for this great nation as a whole.
However, do not let your personal opinion become greater than your neighbor, common decency, respectful tones, honorable words, and kind actions.
- Contact someone with whom you disagree in order to be kind. Send a text message, direct message, or tag that person in a kind post. Call the person to just talk for a minute or two. Do something that reaches out to them as a neighbor, friend, and fellow American.
- Perform an act of kindness for a friend with whom you disagree. Make a pie (to all those who disagree with me!). Bake some brownies. Make a card to drop off. Something – anything – that will demonstrate your kindness. Let them know you are committed to them as a person more than you are against their positions or candidates.
- Smile at others and genuinely wave or greet those who disagree with you. These strangers may be on the road, at an intersection, or otherwise just somewhere in the public arena – in person or online. Reach out as a fellow American. You might smile and say, “I am for a different candidate than you, but I hope you have a great day. I’m glad you are letting your voice be known.”
- Limit your own words that may be unnecessarily offensive, thoughtless, careless, or otherwise hurtful. Vote for and support your candidate without being unkind to others who disagree with you. Again, for my fellow Christian readers, speak and act in ways that honor Christ even as you support your candidates of choice.
- Change your profile picture for the weekend to something pro-American or pro-neighbor.
Hopefully this list will get you started. Main idea: be committed this weekend to showing your neighbors and community that you are pro-American and pro-neighbor more than pro-personal-choice for a particular slate of candidates or positions.
May people be encouraged through our efforts and may God bless America.
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KevinCarson.com | Wisdom for Life in Christ Together
