When I was serving a church in Canada in the fall of 2000, the Liberal Party Prime Minister called an election, likely to stem a rising conservative movement. Just 6 to 8 weeks later there was a new parliament, though the PM remained the same. I was stunned at how quickly the whole thing happened. Especially as it came just weeks after the U.S. presidential election, when we still didn’t know whether Bush or Gore had won. I became expert at explaining the Electoral College to bewildered Canadians.
After watching the months unto years of presidential campaigning in the U.S., the parliamentary system was so zippy I blinked and almost missed it. Sixteen years later I am still envious of my friends to the north. Especially in this particular election cycle.
This one will actually be over in a week. I encourage you to vote, fill out your ballots from the top of the ticket down through all the state and local seats and all those ballot initiatives. In some ways, those down ballot races are the most significant and are the ones where our votes can make the most difference. Democracy is about far more than voting though exercising our franchise is the central and essential right and ritual. The democratic process is one of our core principles as Unitarian Universalists.
Vote your values, vote your conscience, and vote with a discerning mind and caring heart. Try not to despise or disdain those who disagree with you. As disheartening as this election season has been, I still have a deep confidence and faith in our democratic institutions. Whatever the outcome, I believe what is good and strong and true (and self-corrective) about our form of government will out. Democracy is messy, which may have been what prompted Winston Churchill to say, “Democracy is the worst form of government – except for all the others.”
And as I said above, democracy is about far more than voting. Whatever the outcome on Tuesday, we will have our work cut out for us. There will be much healing and action needed. I am so glad that I will get to be part of that and that we’ll be holding onto one another through it all.
So vote on Tuesday, and come to church on Sunday.
Together is the way we will make a difference.
With love and hope, Dana
805-644-3898
administrator@uuventura.org
