On the topic of Trump’s recent guilty verdict, I have done a general fly over on the facts and details. I have listened to some brief commentary from both sides and a few sources. At the moment I have concluded that a discussion about how we think politically as individuals and as a collective is far more important and helpful for the long term health of the country.

The Passengers

On election day, we will vote for who we want to pilot this plane called America. My concern is more with the passengers than the pilot. How are we thinking during this process? How will we react when the votes are in? Can we approach each other, the challenges we face, the people we choose, and our own roles with a sound mind? The health of the country comes down to how well we manage our collective anxiety. What will it take for us to maintain a relative calm and thus make the best decisions? No elected official can do that for us. It will take healthy passengers, crew and staff to course correct where needed and help us fly well.

We all have a point of reference from our seat on the plane.  Each of us have a personal foundation of knowledge, values, maturity and life experiences we bring to the moment. Part of my foundation is that I majored in Communications and Mass Media in school. We’re taught to be informed observers of media sources, identify bias, cross reference, look at different angles, separate facts from opinions, and so on. It helped me see the importance of our responsibility as individuals to think for ourselves, seek wisdom, and understand our sources well.  I also bring a Christian worldview to the table which brings a unique set of assumptions, beliefs, and convictions.

With each election, I find myself re-examining myself, the events that have occurred, and the accumulation of information and observations I have made since the last term. I want to vote well. I don’t want to be on the wrong side of history. I don’t want to make decisions based on fear, anger, and on the hysteria of the masses.  It is important for each of us to take a personal inventory of where we are, how we are informed and work on our self-awareness.

Uncertainty in Politics

When it comes to voting and politics, we all confront a degree of uncertainty. We want to be right with our ideas and opinions. We like decisions to be black and white. We want the facts we base our decisions on to be sourced from definitive places of truth, honesty, and integrity. We often don’t get that kind of certainty with politics and government and people. Particularly when it comes to people. Have you ever found out someone has been lying to you when you thought they were telling you the truth?  We all have. 

We often don’t know or recognize our own blind spots and echo chambers. Regardless of who we are, there is often a leap of faith we take when we go to the ballot box and cast our vote. That is why we value the checks and balances of the American system.  That is why all parts of the plane, especially the passengers, must remain intact with a high degree of integrity regardless of the pilot.

It’s challenging to take a step back and examine ourselves, to work on self-awareness. Big decisions call upon us to draw from that the best we can and move forward with calm and courage. Our hope and prayer is that the plane will continue flying through the bumps and adverse weather conditions, regardless of who the pilot is both now and in the future.