Election Just the Beginning

I admit it. I care who is elected today as President of the United States. While I have not yet, I will vote today. For whom I vote is not your business. I do not care to attempt to convince anyone that my vote is the correct one. I will vote for what I think is the best course for the country that I love. I trust that everyone is doing the same.

My concern comes on the days, weeks, months and years that follow election day. For the sake of the nation, whichever party wins the presidential election will have to work with whatever party loses. In order to address the problems that we face, and in order to make us an even better nation, we will all have to put aside petty party politics, anger, fear, suspicion and doubt and focus our unified energies on the issues that had divided us. Obstructionism has to become a thing of the past. Intolerance has to pass. Vitriol and hate speech have to be erased from the national dialogue. We have to care so deeply about our fate moving forward that we are willing to bend our opinions and our convictions, many of which are fostered by a media machine that cares more about sensationalism and profits than it does about reflecting truth and reality. We have to learn to work together, even if we had disagreed.

Thus, my pledge. Even if the candidate who I favor, for whom I will vote, is defeated in this election, I will do everything I can in moving forward productively and positively. My work will not be misdirected in opposition to or obstruction of the work of whatever candidate wins. I will accept the presidency of the winner. I will support the work of moving forward from the contention of this election cycle to a more unified national hope, vision and direction.

I will not disrespect those who voted differently from me. I will not disrespect the candidate for whom they voted. I will not use accusatory or inflammatory language in conversation with or about them, their preferred candidate or their stances on the issues. I will not, however, tolerate such language or treatment of those who voted the way I did, or with the winning candidate, whoever that may be. If we are to be unified in our directions and actions as we move forward, there is no place in the process for foul, ugly epithets, or judgmental action or language. Even if the opportunity should present itself, I will refrain from such action or language.

Now, who will join me in this pledge of civility and respect? Who will join me in promising to do everything we can in channeling our communal energies toward a positive and productive direction for this nation? Who is tired of it all and ready to set a higher standard for dialogue and resolution of the challenges that we face?