AN ELECTION CYCLE LIKE NONE OTHER
You do have a voice and a right to be heard. But do not forget you are equipped with auditory vertebrate organs on both sides of your head. Listen, embrace dissent, and then scroll on!
Hello. My name is Paula and I am a recovering…conservative. That’s your cue to say, “Hello, Paula.” Sounds a bit like Alcoholics Anonymous doesn’t it. At my age and stage in life, conservative values are an addiction of sorts.
Addiction is defined as a chronic, relapsing disease where people engage in behaviors that become compulsive and often continue despite harmful consequences. To be sure, liberals believe we conservatives are the poster child examples of compulsive, irrational behaviors. However, my “addiction” to conservative ideals dates back to my childhood. These three values are my earliest memories of that childhood:
There is a God and He loves us unconditionally. Beware of the plot twist. God gave his creation boundaries, expectations and consequences.
We are flawed humans so when we stray from those laws set down by our God, the consequences can be life-changing as well as life-ending.
America is a place like no other. Land of the free and home of the brave is not a platitude. It is a reality. The freedom to dream and achieve dreams. The freedom to speak.
As an eight year old, my first experience with patriotic “goose bumps” was the raising of the American flag while the band played the National Anthem. I didn’t understand it then but now I confess, those moments of emotion at the playing of the Star Spangled Banner have only increased. I love my God and I love this country. I did not choose the role of a conservative. My childhood faith chose it for me long before I understood the conservative ideology.
We have entered an election cycle like none other in my life time. As George Carlin said, “ Never underestimate the power of stupid people in a large group.” The news is changing hour by hour. The candidates on both sides of the aisle have sharpened their vitriol. Social media has resorted back to 2020 with its cruel memes, inflamed rhetoric and condemnation of free thought. And I am tired of it. Which brings me to the crux of this blog: not just allowing dissent but actually embracing it.
In 2020, I initiated one single post expressing my concern regarding misrepresentations, at the least, and lies, at the most, of my conservative standards as expressed by candidate Donald Trump. I was personally attacked. Not by bots, trolls or strangers but by one of my favorite former students. At the time, she was a professor at my alma mater. So in essence, a student whom I was fond of and a university, where I earned two degrees, felt I had no right to express my ideas.
It got worse. Former students felt compelled to defend me and were caught up in the fray of a dissent full of anger and accusations of stupidity. One former student tried to plead with the antagonistic professor and suggested they meet for coffee so as to ease the growing animosity. The professor turned it down in a mean-spirited response.
And then they piled on. A parent of a former student posted she was sorry her daughter ever had me as a teacher! The now professor stated she would have to reevaluate her three years with me as a student since I was one of those Trump followers.
To say it hurt would not even begin to cover the emotions I experienced every time I opened up my social media. It was hideous. Former students and parents hating me for my beliefs. But give them credit. They shut me down for the past three and a half years.
There was a bright light. My daughter-in-law jumped in on the long threads of acrimony. Her profound bravery in addressing the hostility actually did not amaze me as I have come to know my daughter-in-law as a fierce warrior for the rights of others. Her words poured water on the flames of contempt as she chastised those who resented their association with me. I believe God provides us with conundrums so we have to take a step back and assess how to react. With grace or with rage? My daughter-in-law taught me that free thought and speech is worth fighting for. But she did not respond in rage but instead with words framed in grace.
And there were consequences. My husband and I stopped contributing yearly to our alma mater. And this university is no longer in our wills. When someone from the university foundation contacted us as to why we no longer were supporters, I found my voice. I shared the disdain expressed by my former student, now professor. Karma. She had been fired by the university for her hostility towards the conservative point of view. I wish I could feel vindicated, but I don’t. I loved that student.
Which brings me to the present day chaos of this election cycle. I am a conservative and in a relationship with Jesus Christ. Because of my axioms of faith, I cannot love God on one hand and disobey His laws on the other. My entire persona is defined through my journey as a believer. I do have a voice but I’ve discovered, in my old age, I also have ears.
A few months ago, a dear friend expressed that as a nation we must accept all who cross our borders. In his words: there is no such thing as an illegal immigrant. Because of my respect for this person, I listened and refrained from spouting my rebuttal. His ideas were based on the love of Christ and his passion for his fellow man. Hard to argue with that. When he was finished, I simply shared that God also loves the poor, underprivileged who have entered our country, obeying the laws set forth. These citizens are going without employment and housing while millions of immigrants, who have not entered the country legally, are receiving free housing, healthcare and education. My friend listened. He, too, refrained from the temptation to shoot down my perspective. The conversation never took a turn to anger or frustration. We listened and acknowledged that there was truth in both viewpoints.
In another conversation with a colleague, meritocracy became the topic. I boldly stated that I want the best qualified doctor operating on me instead of a doctor, where the educational bar was lowered due to the doctor’s race, social-economic status or gender. I assumed she would agree. Well guess what? Not everyone comes from the same persuasion! When I stopped bloviating, I looked into her face and saw that she was so insulted by my assumption that everyone needed to believe like me. She expressed her thoughts regarding the downside of merit-based achievement. I did not agree with anything she said. But she had every right and justification to express her truth and I had the obligation to listen and understand her point of view.
One more example. I am adopted. In a one time letter exchange, my birth mother wrote how, at the age of 19 and being pregnant, her family forced her to give me up for adoption or they would not welcome her back. On every birthday, I silently thank my birth mother for choosing life. How could anyone take the life of the human growing inside of them? Again, guess what? I did not always believe that. Shortly after the birth of our son, I thought I might be pregnant again. Having another baby within months of my first child would destroy me. My first time at motherhood was filled with fear, depression and ineptness. How could I bring another life into the world when I hadn’t adjusted to this baby? Thankfully, I could have an abortion and not have to worry about it. One morning, after getting out of the shower, I took a towel to the fogged up mirror. My bathroom was filled with steam except for the one small toweled space on the mirror. I glanced at my face framed by the fog. At that moment, I knew I could never look at myself again if I went through with ending my baby’s life. As it turned out, I was not pregnant . By God’s grace, I had already reached a decision of honoring life. But because I had the epiphany doesn’t mean other women are able to walk in my shoes. I am not to judge anyone for their decisions as God has not equipped me to do so. (Proverbs 31: 8-9 Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn others, or it will all come back against you.)
Since I address teacher problems, why this blog about the election cycle? In order for our educational system to survive, there must be a balance of liberal and conservative voices. In order for this country to survive, there must be a resolved determination that all voices have the right to be heard without condemnation or hateful rhetoric. Our forefathers understood this concept and guaranteed it through the Bill of Rights. But what our ancestors blessed us with has been cursed by social media.
You do have a voice and a right to be heard. But do not forget that you are also equipped with vertebrate organs of hearing. Put them to use especially between now and November 5:
If you are a teacher, be aware you not only have a captivated audience in your classroom but also have a captured audience. Your students cannot get up and walk out of your class when they experience your bias, hatred of opposing points of view and contempt for conservative ideas.
If you are on social media, there is a lovely feature called “keep scrolling.” I use it daily, sometimes hourly. Posts referring to a presidential candidate as a Nazi and a destroyer of democracy, that he must be stopped at all costs takes my breath away. Those words almost ended the former president’s life and actually did end the life of a father and husband, plus the wounding two others. Hateful and false rhetoric push my button to respond. But I now know that my response will only call for others to attack so I keep scrolling. Mind you, these ugly posts are from my friends and former students. They must be allowed to express freely. I must curtail my judgement.
However I will not silence my voice in this election cycle in order to avoid verbal assaults. There is a feature on social media called “take a break” from your friends/family (link for more information). Between now and November 5, that might be a positive way to put on hold those who use social media to bombard their friends and family with malicious content.
This is not a call for your silence. It is a plea for your voice, the truth and your passion expressed through the principal of the Golden Rule. Post as if you are the receiver. Use words of persuasion built on facts and express opposing views with deliberate kindness, bathed in truth. Address the policies. Do not revile your fellow humans. It will amaze you how much better people listen when they are not being attacked with demeaning rhetoric.
