Response

August 29, 2020

I am not sure what response I should have to our two National Conventions.  What I saw was more One-up-Man-ship and praise for “my side” than platform.  I have always felt sorry for whatever party is forced to go first, Democrat or Republican (the incumbent has the final say).  The RNC chose to not provide a platform this year, stating on Sunday they were going to wait until 2024 to let people know where they stood.  Instead they abdicated to “whatever Trump wants to do” for a party platform.  If I heard correctly, that was to make the same promises that were propagated in 2016.

I am sorry if you are offended, but I was disturbed by the appropriation of the White House as a backdrop for political rhetoric.  The First Lady took over her revamped rose garden on Wednesday and the President took over the South Lawn on Thursday.  This was the first time the White House has been used by an incumbent for a campaign rally in the 228-year existence of the White House.  Some would say this was because of the stay at home order of the CDC due to the corona virus.  I would agree if any of the 1500 people gathered would have distanced or worn masks.  Instead, this appears to be another super-spreader event like Tulsa.

The DNC ended with a firework display, and that was then dwarfed by the RNC display on Thursday.  Everything seems to be bigger and better, which happens when you do the same thing.  I was discouraged when the DNC sent a theme of “the country will be destroyed if the Republicans win.”  The RNC response was to make the same claim about the Democrats.  Considering both responses, we appear to be on the verge of a lose-lose situation.

THOUGHTS:  I read an NPR article that said, “Both Democrats and Republicans are saying this is a battle for the soul of the nation. And they are both right. It just depends on what you want that soul to look like.”  We have had contentious elections in the past and there has always been a peaceful transition of power.  Regardless of who wins, we need to respond by doing the work to bring reconciliation to a frustrated and torn land.  If we instead choose to widen our division, we will create what both conventions predicted, a lose-lose situation.  Change is coming and it starts with you.