Trump said over and over again, “Pretend I’m on the ballot.”
And we did.
A lot of good happened last night. And it has nothing to do with political parties. In fact, I believe the worst thing we can do is think of the United States as two opposing teams. We are far more complex than that.
But the historic victories—some elements of which we have never seen before, like the number of flipped seats the opposing party won by double digits only two years prior—prove that we, as a whole, are coming to our senses.
Some call this the end of an era. I call it the end of an error.
We make mistakes. America was designed for advanced citizenship. But sometimes (about every two generations, as it turns out) a darkness can romance enough of us to send us in the wrong direction. These forces appeal to our fears, and use the language of hatred towards others and seek to close ranks around the idea of purity of race and purity of heritage.
And every single time, it’s all bullshit. It’s just a veneer to grab power and wealth behind the scenes. It doesn’t care about you. In fact, it thinks nothing of trampling over your health, your budget, your safety, and sending your kids to war.
To me, that is what last night’s election was all about. It was enough of us experiencing the pain to finally reject the bullshit and embrace the promise of ending it.
Now the work begins. Tell me what you think the first steps should be. The task list is going to be long, and we are not gonna all agree on what should be on it.
But it’s good to write it. And do it.
Be kind, feed your mind, and enjoy the moment.
Slade Wentworth | The Dad Briefs covers the civic, political, and quietly human stories that shape family life in America, with recipes along the way.
