Now that the election is over and we’re all quieted down, I hope everyone is happy with the results. If not, they’ll be another election in two years.
Last Wednesday evening Mary and I went out to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. Our waiter, sorry they call themselves servers now, was a pleasant young man. He was friendly but not so much that he was intrusive. During the course of the evening we chatted a bit about his schooling and his family. On one of his visits I asked if he was happy with the election results. “Yes,” he said. “They passed the wine in grocery stores bill. Didn’t they?” I assured him they did, and asked if there was anything else he liked or disliked about the election. He thought a minute and stared at me. Finally he said, “Somebody got a majority, right?”
It was obvious he had not voted, so I agreed and we went on with our dinner. After he left the table, Mary told me I should not have asked him about the election. “I guess you’re right.” I mumbled. But since then I have thought a lot about that mini-conversation. Maybe, just maybe I was right.
Many years ago I had a good friend Bob Larsen. Bob was the high school football coach and a far left political thinker. As most of you know am on the far right. One October night after a successful foot ball game Mary and I threw a little party for the coaches, some of our friends and their families. There was an election coming up in a couple of weeks so of course Bob and I had a number of discussions about it. Finally one of our mutual friends asked both of us how we could be friends when we disagree on everything. We both replied it was good for our souls and if we agreed on everything one of us wouldn’t be needed and we couldn’t agree on which one that was.
Before then and since then I have had many political conversations with friends. Sometime we agree, sometimes we disagree. I have learned a lot during these conversations and I hope my “opponents” have learned something too. Probably the most important thing we learned is that we don’t have to agree on everything in order to be friends.
Last month Mary and I visited our daughter and her family in Dayton. Her daughter, Emily, is a Junior at UD with a major in environmental science. The conversation somehow turned to climate change and our role in causing it. We did not agree on that point but we heard each other out. I was so happy to see her passion about an issue and was overwhelmed with her knowledge of the subject. When we were finished and agreed to disagree. I told her how much I admired her passion and her ability to present such good,logical arguments, and how important an asset that is.
Later in the week I told Mary I thought politics should be discussed in almost every conversation. If it were, we could all learn how to be civil while disagreeing. Doing so would keep lots of voters informed. Informed voters are not likely to be apathetic. Informed, not misinformed, voters would continue to make our country great. No matter where we stand politically we all think a voter turn out of 36.4% is terrible. That’s the lowest level since the World War 2.
So talk with you family and friends about politics regardless of the age of your kids, they should know where you stand politically, and most importantly why you stand there. Be prepared, as they get older to argue politics with them. It will do all of you, and all of us, good!
P.S. Encourage your kids to argue with you about things you disagree. But before you start remind them that if anyone raises his or her voice (including you) the conversation is over. You’ll have lots of fun, and I bet you and they will all be a lot better off after all is said and done!