The following column is the opinion and analysis of the writer:
President-elect Joseph Biden has said he wants to “heal the divide” in America. He will fail if we do not help. As Mary Sanchez suggested in her op-ed in the Arizona Daily Star on Nov. 7, politicians are not necessarily suited for promoting goodwill. Sanchez maintains that what works in building community is community involvement. If in fact, we citizens are the leaders, as Sanchez suggests, how do we lead? What, specifically, can we do?
Of the 149 million Americans who voted, roughly 48% voted for President Trump and 51% for President-elect Joseph Biden. The vote was nearly evenly split.
Americans who took the time to vote care about America. Surely half of Americans are unlikely to be completely misinformed. How then do we leverage this divide in perspective for the common good?
Each of us can easily eliminate the rancor in our own behavior. For example, we can all avoid sharing videos and images that make fun of either President Trump or President-elect Joseph Biden. Yes, it is tempting to joke that Alec Baldwin was asked to leave Saturday Night Live and refused.
Yet perhaps it is possible to keep such barbs out of public forums for the next several months. Similarly, ask yourself whether your current bumper stickers divide or heal. Yes, it is still a free country, but consider eliminating comments and images that are derogatory or apt to antagonize. Aim for the harmonious.
An essential element of bringing people together is to work to understand others’ perspectives. Talk with friends and family who voted differently from you. Listen to what these friends say, without thinking of your own counter arguments. You can also tune in to news networks different from those which you typically watch with the goal of learning something new.
Consider first how to heal family. We can’t heal the country if we can’t heal our families. Here also, generous amounts of listening work well, particularly when your goal is to learn something.
It is possible to ask friends for ideas on how to promote the ideals of altruism, decency, trust and compassion. That dialogue alone can advance the healing. If you are in a formal leadership position, you might facilitate listening sessions with employees and colleagues, eventually identifying shared values.
Above all, see the similarities in people. Acknowledge what is true for all of us — the love of our children, our desire to see them happy, our desire to restore the economy, and find a solution to the COVID crisis.
If your candidate lost, take time to grieve through the cycle of denial, anger, sadness and acceptance. If your candidate won give others time to grieve. But don’t give up. Keep fighting for the causes in which you believe deeply and do so with respect.
Nearly all spiritual traditions emphasize love as a force which heals. Reflect each morning on how to put love into action. A couple of suggestions might be to thank people, including police, health-care workers, grocery store clerks, and children, parents, and friends.
Finally, communicate with your elected officials. Let them know what you think.
We, the people, have the power to do the healing. This is up to us.
No one can be forced to implement healing behaviors. But doing our best for country and community requires it.
