The mere fact that your candidate loses doesn’t mean that America is doomed:
As the election neared, I heard more and more outlandish remarks about John McCain and Barack Obama. I was told that voting for Obama put me close to the ideology of the world’s tyrants. I read here in the comments that only the stupid, rich and racist are voting for McCain. I’ve seen, again and again, partisans of both sides concocting apocalyptic scenarios should the “other guy” win.
Guess what? It’s going to be fine no matter the outcome.
In America, the distance between the mainstream left and the mainstream right is not that far. Rhetoric and wedge issues make us seem to be at great odds with one another, but we share a large number of ideals, dreams and principles. Both Obama and McCain have made that point this election, but many of their supporters prefer to believe otherwise. They see this election as a battle for America’s soul.
When I look to the left or the right, I don’t see a “soul.” I don’t find the “true” America or a “correct” America. I see two collections of views, often with similar goals albeit different tactics. Sure, I see some nuttiness. I also see a lot of wisdom. But, to me, America’s soul does not rest in one political ideology or one platform.
America’s soul rests in what we’re doing today. America’s soul is democracy.
And the people will decide what they will decide, and we’ll move on and we’ll survive.
I happen to disagree with both John McCain and Barack Obama for different reasons, and I didn’t vote for either of them, but as I noted earlier today, I don’t think either one of them is inherently evil and I don’t think American democracy will be doomed if one of them happens to win.
