Whenever an election brings a new and untried leader to the world’s stage, I think of the iconic picture of John Kennedy alone in the Oval Office. In 1962 the Cuban missile crisis brought us to the edge of Armageddon, and for thirteen days we the people watched and prayed over the loneliness of power and how dependent we were on the courage and the wisdom of one young man.

Gary has written that he is heartsick and afraid to his bones over the results of the US election. He has also identified the loss of moral credibility of the privileged as a driver of this vote. In his call for faith, humility and the constant work for justice, Gary reminds us that no matter how we voted, the work of building our civic life is up to each of us.
It has been striking over many months to see how passionate the supporters of Donald Trump have been in contrast to the apparently tepid enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton. That energy has been labelled anger, but I suspect we must look also at the frantic kind of hope which is willing to elect someone known to have no experience of governing but who speaks in the language of promises. I believe that part of the energy, or anger, or fear, was a sense that more and more of us were becoming invisible, dismissed if we lived in ‘flyover states’, or disregarded if we do not claim identification with some tribe.
A fire fighter, a farmer and a teacher each expressed this sense of being forgotten: “No one running for office ever visits us here, we’re ‘the boonies’.” “Working to save lives or protect people is not respected, we don’t make money so we don’t count.” “It bothers me that people trust us to raise and educate their children while they work, but they don’t want our opinions on what their children must be taught to be good citizens. We are to help their kids get ahead, but not help them learn to be thoughtful.” However shocking this election may feel, for people of faith there can be no ‘them vs. us’ since we are all on a redemptive journey.
If an electorate feels no sense of coherence in their lives, if the connections to those in power are felt as fractured or abusive, if agency appears confined to the few, and generativity overshadowed by what seems corrupt elitism, some kind hope will drive the choices.
The example of South Africa that Gary cites is especially important if we are to reconcile the factions of America and move toward truth and away from calling each other names. I suspect that for a time we will flounder, and that there will be ahead of us moments of shame, of profound confusion and of despair. But we know that life will find a way, that out of the chaos of the rejection of established political habits will come new, tentative, sticky, green and growing efforts to build more just communities. I am sure that most of people who voted for Mr. Trump live quietly decent lives, being neighborly and struggling with dignity to raise the next generation. Many of them voted for Obama, twice. The labels of campaign or media language are not relevant to the conduct of ordinary life. The hysteria of a crowd can be manipulated, but it is temporary. No one should be demeaned as merely a cartoon or anecdote or label. Each of us deserves the dignity of respect as we seek together to find meaning.
So I would urge us to light more candles of prayer. Above all, let us pray for the new and untried leader, that the loneliness of the realities of his new responsibilities cause him to seek understanding and find wisdom. No matter what, we are in this thing called life together with him.
It has been striking over many months to see how passionate the supporters of Donald Trump have been in contrast to the apparently tepid enthusiasm for Hillary Clinton. That energy has been labelled anger, but I suspect we must look also at the frantic kind of hope which is willing to elect someone known to have no experience of governing but who speaks in the language of promises. I believe that part of the energy, or anger, or fear, was a sense that more and more of us were becoming invisible, dismissed if we lived in ‘flyover states’, or disregarded if we do not claim identification with some tribe.
A fire fighter, a farmer and a teacher each expressed this sense of being forgotten: “No one running for office ever visits us here, we’re ‘the boonies’.” “Working to save lives or protect people is not respected, we don’t make money so we don’t count.” “It bothers me that people trust us to raise and educate their children while they work, but they don’t want our opinions on what their children must be taught to be good citizens. We are to help their kids get ahead, but not help them learn to be thoughtful.” However shocking this election may feel, for people of faith there can be no ‘them vs. us’ since we are all on a redemptive journey.
If an electorate feels no sense of coherence in their lives, if the connections to those in power are felt as fractured or abusive, if agency appears confined to the few, and generativity overshadowed by what seems corrupt elitism, some kind hope will drive the choices.
The example of South Africa that Gary cites is especially important if we are to reconcile the factions of America and move toward truth and away from calling each other names. I suspect that for a time we will flounder, and that there will be ahead of us moments of shame, of profound confusion and of despair. But we know that life will find a way, that out of the chaos of the rejection of established political habits will come new, tentative, sticky, green and growing efforts to build more just communities. I am sure that most of people who voted for Mr. Trump live quietly decent lives, being neighborly and struggling with dignity to raise the next generation. Many of them voted for Obama, twice. The labels of campaign or media language are not relevant to the conduct of ordinary life. The hysteria of a crowd can be manipulated, but it is temporary. No one should be demeaned as merely a cartoon or anecdote or label. Each of us deserves the dignity of respect as we seek together to find meaning.
So I would urge us to light more candles of prayer. Above all, let us pray for the new and untried leader, that the loneliness of the realities of his new responsibilities cause him to seek understanding and find wisdom. No matter what, we are in this thing called life together with him.