Last month, between canvassing door to door for the midterm election, walking around the Statue of Liberty and visiting Ellis Island while ICE rampages on our streets, irony was inescapable. After last week’s election results, I breathe a little easier. Thank you! To all who voted against corruption and outrageous wealth and for equity, against war and for peace, against authoritarianism and for democracy. Hopefully, we’ve set a healing course correction for our government and country.
Like sailing, democracy is NOT a spectator sport. Sailing is a constant dialog with wind and waves, while democracy is a conversation with human dynamics. Let us never grow apathetic again - on deck or in government. Yet, how is it that only 50% of voters voted in these midterms?!
Thinking about the resounding “voice of reason” that prevailed last week, what about my reader who was outraged by my election despair two years ago? What about the 30% of hard-core maga-trump-ettes who will forever refuse to vote for any other party, candidate, or cause but their own?
Y’know, if I’m honest, I admit that 30% of me cares only about me. Then there’s 30% that cares about others and, say, 40% that cares about all of us. When I witness those dynamics going back and forth inside of me, eventually it becomes obvious that those two 30% sides really are NOT sustainable. Their “wins” can only be short-term, and bouncing between them is exhausting. If this is so within me, why wouldn’t it be so with human nature…and the spectrum of human behavior?
So, the struggle never ends. If this election says the wind is at the back of reason and kindness, then it’s time to “trim for speed.” To PUSH our elected Representatives and Senators. Do not let them be absent from their duties (as 11 were yesterday for the articles to impeach Hegseth)! This is not the time for politics-as-usual; it’s time for action. Time to do as much good as we can…while we can.
P.S. TODAY SHANGHAIED SET-SAIL AS AN AUDIOBOOK! I am excited about this and how it turned out. I hope you will be too. I’ll write more about it here soon. Search “Shanghaied Jon Howe” on Libro.fm (to buy from your local bookstore) or on Amazon.com.