Our America

Jeremy Wallman
Jul 10, 2017 · 4 min read

Among those who elected Donald Trump as our President are my friends, neighbors, and family members. These are people I know, respect, and love. Beyond my immediate circle, there are millions of Americans who have made their voice heard in this election. Some of these voices are filled with arrogance, cruelty, anger, and divisiveness. I also hear voices filled with immense sadness, fear, frustration, and despair. It is hard to listen. Misinformation, outright lies, implausible generalizations, opinions stated as fact, unsubstantiated conspiracy theories and echo chambers….in the cacophony the sentiment that has been all too rare is an appeal to locate our collective goodness. That is something we rarely hear from politicians or media. I want to affirm that sentiment…that among the millions of our fellow citizens who voted for Donald Trump, Hilary Clinton, Jill Stein, and Gary Johnson, are well meaning, informed, and loving human beings. And I want to work with you, because though we may differ on how to move forward, I know that with few exceptions you share in my desire to to live freely in a peaceful, just, and prosperous society. I know it is easy to get people to agree when we talk in terms of ponies and rainbows. But there is a deeper commonality that we share which is our humanness. Truth is more subjective than we acknowledge, but there are some truths we cannot deny. We all have basically the same biology and the trajectory of our lives will bring us all to the same place — old age (hopefully), sickness (likely), and death (certainly). A basic tenet of democracy is that we all get to choose for ourselves what constitutes a good life. And the cost of our freedom is that we must ensure that our pursuit of this endeavor must not infringe upon the same pursuit of our fellow citizens. Our Constitution is a gift to all of us…but it is there to protect us from our Government…not from each other or ourselves. We need to pick up where the Constitution leaves off….and in my humble opinion the most basic obligation we have in a free society is to help one another. We say the divisions are deep, but let’s be honest….the barriers we have to unity are born of a lack of trust and goodwill more than a lack of common goals. It is true that if you believe that religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity should influence the rights of a citizen, then our differences are likely not reconcilable….but I believe in both policy and spirit the majority of Americans believe in equal rights for all citizens. “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.” And despite our history and current challenges…I believe we are moving in the right direction. We tend to focus on our faults and mistakes…but in reality, there are two sides to every coin. Capitalism and free markets have lifted billions of people out of poverty worldwide, but not without costs. The teachings of our world’s religions have brought peace, comfort, and goodness to billions of people throughout history, but have also been used to justify cruelty and subjugation. Go down the list…there is nothing in this world or in our humanity that does not have a downside, except human goodness. The Buddha taught us that cultivating anger is like taking poison and expecting our enemy to get sick. If we continue with the vitriol, judgement, and sanctimony, we will forever be cut off from the goodness in ourselves, and others. I am not here to judge anyone, or tell anyone what to believe, or what to do. I only want make a case for humility, compassion, and mutual respect…these are the healing side effects when our basic goodness is expressed and what we need most right now. The name calling, belittling, smugness, and judgement…it may make you feel strong and righteous but it is destroying us slowly but surely and far more effectively than any one single politician. But let me try to make it more real and actionable…I have friends who believe abortion should be illegal who support organizations that provide services to individuals who have had abortions. I have friends who are ardent environmentalists who support organizations to help communities in coal country that have been devastated by the precipitous fall of energy prices and the necessary transition to sustainable energy sources. I have friends who are deeply opposed to war who support organizations helping our soldiers to deal with PTSD. There are Jews supporting Muslims, Atheists supporting Christians…hopefully you get my point. We need to extend beyond the bubbles we inhabit and affirm that even those with whom we disagree are deserving of our help, respect, and support. This is my hope for America.

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