Recovering from Post-Election Depression

A lot of my friends and acquaintances are still depressed over the results of the presidential elections. Although George W. Bush only got 51% of the popular vote, he is calling it a "mandate" -- a sign that America approves of the actions and policies of his first four years as president. To me, his 51% is a sign that America is deeply divided, almost down the middle. We are not divided between "blue states" and "red states," a meaningless distinction because every "blue" state has large numbers of "red" voters, and vice versa. The division is not geographical but ideological. There are two different visions of what America is or could be.

Those of us who call ourselves progressive or liberal are depressed because the majority of Americans rejected our vision.

--Our vision is of an America where "moral values" are not limited to abortion and stem cell research but also include such biblical values as helping the poor (Isaiah 10:1-2), promoting peace (Matthew 5:9), and protecting God's creation (many scriptures);

--an America whose government is supportive of the poor and those in need, rather than seeking to keep the minimum wage low and give tax cuts to the wealthy;

--an America that seeks civil liberties for all its citizens, rather than trying to enshrine discrimination against gay Americans into the constitution;

--an America that cares about our planet and seeks to protect our environment, rather than voting against international treaties and doing away with what environmental protections are already in place;

--an America committed to human rights, rather than condoning the torture of Iraqi prisoners and ignoring the Geneva Conventions by redefining prisoners of war as "enemy combatants";

--an America that seeks to help and empower its abused citizens, rather than cutting funding for victims of domestic violence and diseases such as AIDS;

--an America that only goes to war as a very last resort, rather than rushing into a "pre-emptive strike" based on false information.

This is the vision of America that many Americans rejected on election day. But take heart. As Mark Fiore points out in his wonderful online video The Depressed Democrat's Guide to Recovery, we are not alone. We may not be the majority, but there are 56 million of us. And now it is more important than ever that we continue to make our voices heard. We need to join with others who share our vision of what America is meant to be. We need to write Letters to the Editor of our local newspapers, especially those of us who live in conservative areas. We need to become involved in our local communities, to the extent that we are able. We need to stand firm in our truth, and make sure our truth continues to be heard.

Please use the Comments button below to add your comments and suggestions on how we can continue to stand firm in our truth. Thanks!

Darrell
www.WildFaith.com