Voter ID

 

 

 

Come on, people now. Smile on your brother. Everybody get together. Try to love one another right now...

I voted for Amy Acton, and she won. I voted for Sherrod Brown, and he won. I voted for Brian Pointdexter, and he won.  And the political party of which I'm a member won back both houses of Congress. So you'll excuse me if I celebrate a bit.

To everything (Turn, turn, turn). There is a season (Turn, turn, turn). And a time for every purpose under heaven...

The UU church I attend likes to frame the central conflict in American life as that of Individualism vs Community, with the latter touted as being far superior to the former. I have to admit I've chafed against this characterization a bit in the past. If "individualism" is strictly meant as a synonym for selfishness and greed (which is what the church really is talking about), OK, I get that, those are bad things. Do away with them if you can. My problem is individualism may also mean independence of thought. I don't see why I have to hand THAT over to the community! I've expressed my concern about this not long ago and was told that instead of individualism maybe what I really mean is "individuality", which the church does encourage in one way or another. Fine. I'll take it.

There's nothing you can say that can't be done. Nothing you can sing that can't be sung. Nothing you can say, but you can learn how to play the game. All you need is love...

So what does any of this have to do with the 2026 election results? Well, it's occurred it me that democracy is not so much a conflict between individualism and community, but a combination thereof. Think about it. When you fill out your ballot, well, there's your individualism. Indulge in it all you want. Just hope it's all over and done with by the time the results come in. Why? Well, you want your candidate to win, don't you? For that to happen you need community.

Back in 2024, I cast my ballot, an act of individualism. And guess what? It remained an act of individualism for the next two years, WHICH I DID NOT LIKE ONE BIT!

That was then. This year I performed the same act of individualism, but fortunately it did not remain an act of individualism. In fact, I have left individualism behind me, and am now part of something much bigger than myself.

We are the world. We are the children...

For the next two years anyway.

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