November 8, 2016

Tomorrow it begins.

After more than 18 months of campaigning, "mud slinging", name calling and generally childish behaviour, my home country of the United States will choose a new president.  The sad part is, both candidates have said very little on what their plan is for the next 4 years and spent more time trying to convince the undecided voters why the other person is a poor choice for president.  Perhaps substance isn't important in this "Reality TV" age...

Anyway, what started out as an entertaining process into how the Republican and Democratic parties work, including watching the "best" the Republican party could muster be taken down by a loudmouth in the form of Donald Trump and a highly skewed Democratic party process that favoured Hillary Clinton almost be derailed by Bernie Sanders, has drug on far too long.

Who ever wins tomorrow has their work cut out for them as my home country is as divided as I've ever seen it.  The "Melting Pot" has turned into regions of division, special interest groups who feel that there way is the only way and if you disagree then you're not "American" and are part of the problem.

I see "religion" shunning people who live a lifestyle they disagree with even though the bible says to do otherwise.

I see hate escalating when it comes to race.  I find this unsettling, scary and I don't see how this will be "fixed" any time soon.  Politics won't fix any of this and only a miraculous change of heart will.

I see differences being a source of division instead of a source of strength.

I see fear being spread as a way to control peoples thoughts and actions as it's more effective and faster than education and coming up with a solid plan for the future.

Mostly, I see people unwilling to work together for a common good.

In 1858 Abraham Lincoln delivered a speech after being selected by the Illinois Republican Party to be their candidate for the US Senate.  In that speech he spoke of a House Divided, which was in reference to the states being a mix of free and slave states.  His contention, which was considered radical at that time, was that at some point this division would end because a "house divided against itself cannot stand".  Mr. Lincoln, in this speech, did not feel the house (Union) would fall but rather the division would end somehow.

The United States is once again a House Divided and I believe that the division will end one way or another.  The question is, what will the House look like.  That will depend greatly on the will of the people and to some degree the person chosen to lead the country.

May God bless who ever is chosen and give them wisdom that has yet to be seen to bring the House together.

Gerald Trees
Musings And Observations Of An Adventurous Life Seeker