It’s Over . . . or Is It Beginning?
I’m writing this on Tuesday morning, a short while after waiting 35 minutes to vote in the presidential election. One poll worker said that by 8:00 a.m., they had as many voters as usually vote in an entire day! Poll workers at the precinct voting in our Youth Center tell me they had a line around the corner this morning as well. It’s exciting to see so many people take part in the democratic process that is part of our American life. Many young voters were enthused to vote for the first time, and I saw several families take their children into the voting booths to witness the process, and participate in their own way.
By the time you read this, we will know who is the new president of the United States. Knowing the make-up of our congregation, some of you will be delighted your candidate won; others will be deeply disappointed your candidate lost. Either one senator will return to the Senate, or two will. One candidate will be moving into the presidency, and one must concede. Perhaps it can be done as gracefully as this quote, which Stephen Douglas reputedly said to Abraham Lincoln after the election of 1860: “Partisan feelings must yield to patriotism. I’m with you, Mr. President, and God bless you.” The race is over; now the governing must begin.
One proposition which had as much support and opposition as the presidential candidates was California Proposition 8, which would amend the California constitution to define marriage as only between one man and one woman. Again, I know there were mixed views on this issue among our congregation. Some of you will be elated at the results; others will be deeply disturbed.
I hope that after all the results are in, we can process what they mean for us, make our peace with the results, then get on to the important business of addressing our nation’s ills, its economic problems, and society’s needs.
It has been a long campaign, the most expensive on record. When I heard figures of millions and billions spent on advertisements we heard over and over again, I could not help but wonder how much good some of that money could do if directed to charities and some of the very agencies the propositions were aimed at. But, this is America, and thank God for that. At least we have orderly transitions of power.