Beyond the ballot: one nation, indivisible

With each passing day, as autumn leaves begin to turn and fall, Americans collectively brace themselves for the upcoming presidential election. 

The stakes are high this time around, especially for voter groups who hope to avoid a repeat of 2020. We must avoid making the same mistakes this November, which requires deep reflection and active effort to cooperate with and understand each other. 

First, we must ask ourselves if we have moved past the brink of disunion or if we are allowing history to repeat itself. 

I would like to believe the majority of us hope things go differently this election, but there’s an undeniable epidemic of hateful rhetoric and division plaguing our nation. 

As most of us do, I recall the last election all too well. I remember the air being thick with tension and neighbors turning on each other over their respective political affiliations. 

Then, the partisan divide was extreme, and it continues to intensify today. We were isolated in 2020, from both the pandemic and because we couldn’t see eye to eye with each other or our political leaders. 

Let’s face it — the Jan. 6 insurrection was one of the most frightening displays of anti-democratic practices this nation has ever known. 

The way I see it, there is a clear distinction between exercising rights and spewing hatred into the world. Protesting is acceptable, rioting is not. Competition is to be expected within politics, but constant slandering, belittling and disparaging each other is not. 

Political affiliations aside, we as voters should not accept this kind of behavior from our leaders,  and electing politicians with questionable morals should be completely out of the question. 

While I realize politicians are imperfect and only human, they are our decision-makers, role models and the embodiment of national values. We hold them to higher standards, as does the rest of the world. 

So, in principle, we must be picky when we vote. 

Our future is dependent upon who we choose to represent us, and yes, ethics should play a significant role in that process. It’s our responsibility to ensure elected officials want what’s best for everybody and will actually deliver on their promises. 

This is why introspection is crucial this election season. We must ask ourselves how we got to the point where presidential candidates can openly behave with disrespect and animosity, and get away with it.

The problem is that this kind of behavior is relatively normalized within today’s society, especially among young people, who may not remember a time when politicians were at least somewhat decent to each other. 

For many young people, exposure to current events, including those pertaining to politics, is largely through social media. This system makes it easy to form an opinion on a presidential candidate from a single video and then keep scrolling. But it’s much more difficult to find reliable sources and carry out research to conceive an informed opinion. 

This isn’t to say social media, or the media in general, is untrustworthy. Yet, somewhere along the line, there was a breach of trust, especially toward the government. So, it’s safe to say Americans have little faith in the government or the “other” party. 

It all boils down to building up faith in the government and in each other. But how can we accomplish this?

It begins with truly listening to one another and having difficult, yet important, conversations. Tiptoeing around each other in hopes of avoiding confrontation isn’t the answer. We should be able to discuss, deliberate and debate respectfully. 

Name-calling is futile in such conversations, as is intimidation, refusing to listen and bullying. None of these things will allow you to see other perspectives and worldviews, nor will they force others to see yours. 

Finding your voice makes a difference. I admit it’s easier said than done to remain deferential to people who do not share your beliefs, and one conversation likely won’t change your mind. But at the end of the day, trying to understand other opinions and standpoints is all that matters. Little by little, you will begin to compromise. 

With a new generation of adults rising and entering the political sphere, it’s completely possible to revive respect in politics. We do not have to stand by and empower division. 

As former President Barack Obama once said, “We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” 

It starts this November. With effort, we can ensure this election turns out differently than the last one. That is the first step in the right direction for a better and kinder future.