After Tuesday's midterms, here's hoping that the tide comes in for America again
Did you hear that? Neither did I.
The sound we both didn't hear is the grumbling, crying and whining of defeated candidates calling Tuesday’s vote “fixed,” or “rigged,” or “unfair.”
Surely, candidates lost an Election Day. Maybe one of your favorites was defeated? A couple of mine were. Both political parties have differences. Regions and states often have particular political preferences. It’s only natural that we Americans would disagree on issues. Heck, that’s how we were founded, in independence.
I can tell you firsthand. I ran for public office. I lost. And, on election night when the result was clear, I walked down the street to my opponent’s headquarters, through a crowd of his supporters, cheering my defeat, and I shook his hand and congratulated him. It wasn't fun.
But it was the right thing to do. It was the carrying out of the work of my grandfather and his, the veterans and elders that came before me. It was accepting defeat, and in loss understanding that the system is bigger than any one of us. That we are here to do God’s good work. To serve others. And, ultimately, when our time comes, to pass the gift of freedom to our children, and theirs.
I don’t know about you, but for me, the greatest gift we have as Americans is Inauguration Day — that celebrated day when we peacefully transfer power. That magical moment when the losing party and the winning, gather, in the greatest consecration of our democracy. It is uniquely American, and until recently, sacred.
The Berlin Wall may have fallen, but we live in a dangerous world. The struggle between the enslaved and the free is not over. We may have defeated totalitarianism, but it is not dead. The war in the Ukraine demonstrates clearly, that nations still unjustly, invade other nations. We dare not shrink from the task of protecting freedom. Freedom abroad, and freedom at home.
Don’t kid yourself, America can be as big as it wants, anytime it wants. It’s time to be big again. Here’s hoping the conspiracy theories, crazy claims, egoism and self-centeredness of candidates that cannot accept their defeat, washes away in a quick current—and, that the tide comes in for America again.
We don’t own democracy and freedom. We protect it, polish it, and pass it on. Here’s hoping Tuesday wrote a new chapter, and a return to the most glorious of our traditions. The peaceful transfer of power.
Anthony Coates is an Investment Advisor and Public Affairs consultant. He lives in Indian Wells. His email is anthonycoates60@gmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Here's hoping Tuesday wrote a new chapter
