Can you believe it? The presidential election is over. While there is disappointment for many, the fact that the election is over cannot be a disappointment.
Yesterday as I left a meeting at Starbucks, I spotted an acquaintance, Dr. Preston Carter, who serves as the Madigan Hospital General Surgeon.
Preston’s hat, smile and characteristic bow-tie give us a positive message one day after the presidential election. The people have spoken. Donald Trump is our newly elected president, like it or not. We must now move forward doing what we can to hope for the best from our 45th president.
Post-election, It seems sad and ridiculous that people are blocking our streets protesting Donald Trump when Donald Trump has not had time to do anything good or bad as president. That behavior is simply barbaric civil unrest with no constructive purpose other than to be a disruption and to further divide America.
I encourage those who voted for Hillary Clinton, to consider emulating her lead and values when she tells us that we need to move forward on a constructive basis as we work with President-Elect Donald Trump. Let’s do what is good for America.
While it is easy to be disgruntled and to find only the negative, we might improve our chance of making “America Great Again” if we all work hard at looking for the positive(s).
If President-Elect Trump acts and behaves in tune with the worst expectations presented during the campaign, then, and only then will there be an intelligent possibility to justify protesting.
If Trump surprises us by becoming appropriately presidential in his acts and behavior, then any advance protesting will prove to have been a waste of time and resources as well as being ignorantly counter productive for America. Let’s not borrow trouble that has not yet materialized.
That is the way Dr. Carter and I see it.
Compared to the overall population that actually voted the participants in the protests are a small group. They need time to vent (and grow up).
What day will America be great?
Will it become great by pointing fingers at others?
Mr. Ames,
While I wish to promote the concept of moving forward on a positive pathway, I do wonder when American will be mediocre again. We have to become mediocre before we become great.
Joseph Boyle
Clinton won the vote…the Electoral College will take away that vote and render it meaningless!
A. G. Toth,
Popular vote – Electoral College vote??? You have a real point. Does our political system need to be adjusted?
I do not have the answer, but my curiosity motivates me to study the issue.
Joseph Boyle
I am not so optimistic. Trump was not subtle in his meanness. I am willing to be surprised, I really am; but his disrespect time and time again towards women, people of color, other faith traditions, the tradition of free press, gay people, …his threat to drop NATO and his being enamored with the attention of Putin…I think it is healthy to be frightened and to want to express fear by peaceful demonstrations. That is what we can do in a democracy. I just hope we get to keep our democracy because if a free and diverse press is suppressed, we lose our democracy.
Yep, that’s about it! Move forward!!!