It is so easy to call each other names and point fingers at the faults of everyone else. We all do it. And I would like to ask all those who agree with my vote and those who disagree:
Can we call a moratorium on equating votes with news-speak ideologies?
And I am speaking to myself as well as to any of you who read this.

This morning I read an interesting article by Jonah Goldberg in “The Dispatch.” She didn’t vote the way I voted, but also is disturbed by our (notice our, not your) assumptions about those who voted differently than we did. I am going to offer up a few tidbits from her article and encourage you to read “Stop Bashing Democracy” for yourself.

Following are a few quotes from her article to pique your interest:

“…Did some idiots vote for Trump? Of course. But I guarantee you that Harris got her share of the idiot vote, too. Idiots are pretty well distributed across the political spectrum. And you know what? So are smart people. Lots of smart people voted for Trump. And lots of smart people voted for Harris. I find the tendency of people—smart and dumb ones alike—to think that “smart” and “right” and “dumb” and “wrong” are interchangeable terms to be one of the most exhausting analytical errors out there…”

“In fact, it’s almost as exhausting as thinking that “wrong” is synonymous with “fascist” or “bigot.” Fascism and bigotry are wrong, but not all wrong people are fascists and bigots…”

“People vote for candidates—any candidate—for lots of different reasons. If you think Trump is a fascist, fine.  We can talk about that. But just because you think he’s a fascist doesn’t mean someone who voted for him agrees with you and voted for him anyway. I know dozens of people who voted for Trump. None of them are idiots or fascists or fascist idiots.”

This is my request. If you wouldn’t call me a name to my face out of respect or compassion, please don’t call me names on social media. State your despair, if that is where you are, but don’t assume that my vote makes me an enemy to you or our country. I will try to do the same.