Yesterday was sobering. This is message 394 and day 48 in the 8-C Challenge and a birthday dedication goes out to the MIL Nancy Austel on her big 7-0.
My thoughts and prayers go out to the two families who lost loved ones yesterday. I’m including the family of the shooter as well. It’s reported an attendee at the Trump rally was killed and the killer was killed too. It’s also reported that the shooter was only 20 years old.
I can’t help but think of the political climate he has lived through. I’m not providing a justification but an analysis of the consequences of rhetoric that has been tolerated and fueled. The shooter was served well by us. When I say “us” I mean society, social media, legacy media, and both civic and political leaders.
Politics is not a zero-sum game. Elections do have consequences, but it never a matter of when one side wins the other side loses all. In my almost half century of life in America, I have lived through four administrations from both sides. It has gone back and forth every four to twelve years. And during all those changes I have lived an amazing, happy, and secure life. No change of power ever radically altered my life. Politics is not a zero-sum game.
Thomas Jefferson wrote this line in a letter to Robert Skipwith on August 3, 1771. The letter discussed Jefferson’s thoughts on various subjects, including his perspective on the power of shared experiences and unity among people.
“A little patience, and we shall see the reign of witches pass over, their spells dissolve, and the people, recovering their true sight, restore their government to its true principles. It is true that in the meantime we are suffering deeply in spirit, and incurring the horrors of a war and long oppressions…And if we feel their power just sufficiently to hoop us together, it will be the happiest situation in which we can exist. If the game runs sometimes against us, we must have patience till luck turns, and then we shall have an opportunity of winning back the principles we have lost, for this is a game where principles are at stake.”
We need more love and kindness, not just with our politicians, but among the citizens. I get satire and jokes, but I don’t want to be an angry hateful person. There is a proverb that says
Like a city whose walls are broken through is a person who lacks self-control. My hope is starting today we sense more self-control and less animosity and anger between people. As Jefferson wrote the happiest situation in which we can exist is one where good principles hoop us together.
