Post Election: Be Gentle With Your Neighbors' Feelings

Be especially gentle with your neighbors' feelings for the next few days.  It is always a good idea to be gentle with our neighbors' feelings but recent political events have left some of us a bit raw, worried, maybe even depressed.  Perhaps you are feeling quite the opposite.  Perhaps you are certain the USA is finally on the right track.  But many of your neighbors feel differently.  Just as some may have felt the impending doom of looming large government a few years ago, some now fear for the poor, the minorities, the immigrants, the vulnerable, the environment and what our new face of government might mean for such as these.  It is always the poor and powerless who pay the price no matter if the threat is big government or income disparity, raised taxes or cut programs, rising energy prices or environmental degradation.  They pay the price as the rest of us have enough privilege to buffer us from whatever may come.  At least our odds are better…at least for a while.

So, be gentle with your neighbors and keep a sharp eye out for effects on neighbors whose privilege is low.  Whatever your politics, it is unacceptable for these to pay the price while the rest of us bicker. 

Be gentle with your neighbors and remember this was not a sporting event.  Those who are upset are not sad because their team lost.  They are worried about the future.  Reassure us all there are basics on which we all can agree such as the importance of education.  (see more thoughts on this here: Our Children's Future Should Not Be Up For Auction.)  It is in everyone’s best interest for all people to receive education.  There are soooo many benefits from lower crime rates to improved economy.  We all agree about that, right?  Please reassure everyone this is true and that we will join together against any policies which undermine quality education for all, no matter which party sponsors them. 

Remember, many margins of victory in this recent election were very small.  Wherever you are there are likely at least a few nearby who hold opinions different from your own.  Please, be gentle with your neighbors' feelings.