Nine years ago I was in mourning. My guy didn’t win the presidency and I was certain that the world as we knew it was coming to an end. My very wise and apolitical wife simply said, “Suck it up. Life goes on.” Guess what, it did. The sun still rises and sets. Droughts come and go, people act like fools. Except that last year about this time, all hell broke loose.
Friends stopped talking to each other. Entire families were wrent asunder. Fist fights broke out in bars and restaurants. A mighty schism appeared in the force. And it continues to this day. What has happened?
I acknowledge and have in this blog, that our president can be a donkey’s butt. He has none of the spit and polish of professional politicians, says the wrong thing at the wrong time, upsets leaders around the world. He may even play fast and loose with the truth from time to time (probably the nearest he gets to a professional politician). But for some reason, certainly clouded in mystery, he was elected president. So be it.
We now find ourselves deluged with articles from pundits and shrinks, telling us how to survive Thanksgiving across the table from someone who doesn’t agree with us politically. Are we idiots?
We have survived family gatherings for centuries without bloodshed. We have hugged our parents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends without rancor. We have laughed at bad jokes, told great stories, eaten too much, all without worrying about which politician has won what election. Until now. Are we idiots? What is the difference?
This guy doesn’t know how to prevaricate with the smooth delivery of a pro. He just tweets on and lets the chips fall where they may. But is there truly any difference? The previous adminstration was said to be “scandal free” but the list of its scandals seems to be no longer or shorter than any other adminstration. Some are legend. It seems to be endemic. There have been sex scandals in virtually every administration since George Washington Eisenhower was courting his driver (female), the secret service was sneeking Marilyn into the White House, Johnson had his moments, George HW Bush had to wait until he was 90 to start groping, then there’s Monica and that crew, in our last administration, the secret service was having the party, and now we have the Access Hollywood tapes. Where is the horror? Why are friends and families at war over this particular president?
I’m sure our betters can give us a hundred reasons. I can give you one. We are idiots!
Our idiot selves are so engaged in being ‘right’ that we can’t see history for what it is. This group of scaliwags isn’t that much different from those in the past. They all made mistakes, did some horrible things and did some good things. I’m sure your list of horrible things might be my list of good things, but somehow, the wisdom of the founders allows us to fumble through. The political pendium swings from Eisenhower to Kennedy, from Reagan to Obama, and then back again.
Remember how our government works. You will get another chance in four short years. Making enemies now will not help your cause then. Think how boring it would be if everyone agreed with you.
This Thanksgiving put your idiot self on hold. Remember that the things you say around the table will change nothing and do only harm. Play a game. Have everyone tell one good thing that they are thankful for that happened this year. Anything political is off limits. Your family might surprise you.
You can go back to being an idiot on Friday.
Happy Thanksgiving
JVH
