Voting Tomorrow

I’ve made a few snide remarks about friends who flood their Facebook timeline with political posts. I wouldn’t want anyone to think this is because I don’t care about politics. In fact, I read a great deal about politics and often research candidates’ positions in some detail if the information is available. I will be voting tomorrow. I’m a traditionalist and like to vote on election day. I have voted at every opportunity since I turned 18. So I’m going to ramble about it a bit!

I’ve said less about politics this year than in previous years. That has more to do with a combination of time and job needs. I’m a publisher. I now publish books by people who take different political positions. I don’t claim neutrality. In fact, I don’t think the major problem with the media is bias; it’s the claim that there is a journalistic neutrality. So as editor and publisher (Energion Publications), I don’t believe it’s my duty to pretend I’m neutral. It is my duty to put my primary effort into producing and marketing the work of those I publish. So I spend more time showcasing their positions than I do publishing my own via this blog.

But don’t imagine that I am not passionate about politics. For me, the claim that God is still sovereign no matter who wins is important. I care enough about the issues involved that if I did not believe that, I would not be so calm or balanced (in my opinion, of course!). So if I emphasize this point, it’s not because I look down on the passion of others. I share the passion. I don’t feel that I’m a more spiritual Christian who has moved beyond mundane, earthly political issues. I haven’t.

Besides time and priorities, however, I will note that much of what is presented regarding the election in social media is not material that engages my attention. There’s a huge amount of snarky humor, most of which is only of interest to those on the same side. Political humor that crosses the partisan divide is more difficult to produce. What bothers me is a lack of listening and a lack of effort to actually communicate with those on the other side, wherever we may start.

Again, I have to deny that I come from a position of superiority. I’m a moderate, and I’m quite good at mentally dismissing the arguments of either side, often without spending the time to give them full consideration. You don’t know how often I do this, of course. (See above under “time” and “priorities.”)

But this sort of writing is really pretty rare in an election year. In general, things written on politics are designed to help one side or the other, and it’s fairly easy to see which, just by watching the emphasis. That’s something I’d like to work on after the election.

In the meantime, unless you truly believe that you should not vote (a moral or ethical conviction), vote! Be passionate about what you do. Don’t let apathy, cynicism, or the idea that your contribution won’t make a difference stop you. Your contribution may be small, but it’s important.