Mitch Albom: Election will be meaningless if we don't change our ways
Category: News & Politics
Via: perrie-halpern • 4 years ago • 125 commentsBy: Mitch Albom (Detroit Free Press)
S E E D E D C O N T E N T
To be honest, I am less concerned with what we do Tuesday than what we do Wednesday, Thursday, and every day thereafter. My biggest fear isn't who sits in the Oval Office come January; if the rest of us keep conducting ourselves the way we have been the last six months, it won't make a difference.
We have all been behaving badly. I don't mean every single American citizen, but I do mean wide swaths of us, in all states and in all walks of public life, politics, media, businesses, entertainment. We dog each other. We point fingers. We fight over candidates, judges, medical experts, masks. Almost always these days, exaggeration is chosen over understatement. Anger over calm. Mean over kind.
We have more than taken sides in America. We have tunneled moats. In the name of "our way" we have demeaned, denigrated, destroyed. We've lost friends, alienated families, split our communities by lawn signs. We have hurt one another, emotionally and even sometimes physically. Yet far from looking at our guilty hands in regret, we continue to make fists and shake them across the great divide.
Is this who we want to be?
Let me start in my own backyard. The media. I used to be so proud of this business. I would defend it to any critic. I'd point to the need for an independent press as the only thing standing between big power and big money running rampant over the citizenry.
Now it seems we are running alongside them.
Some of us are even carrying their banners.
A desert of objectivity
The partisanship of the news has never been worse. Subtlety is a memory. Asking for balance brings an eye roll, as if asking an adult to finger paint.
Cable news has long been considered slanted, but there used to be an attempt to acknowledge another side. Not anymore. Fox News will regularly begin programs with reminders that you only have so many days left to vote for President Trump and a future, or Joe Biden and earthly destruction. Biden is mocked, referred to with nasty nicknames, and regularly derided for his age and cognitive abilities. In recent days, the Hunter Biden story either leads or is highly featured nightly.
Meanwhile, you can't find that story on the CNN or MSNBC broadcasts. It doesn't exist. Instead, Trump gets a daily and nightly skewering on coronavirus, and is the focus and blame for a large percentage of their stories and panels. Even the rare piece of positive data — i.e. last week's report of record GDP growth for the third quarter — gets the "Yeah, but…" treatment. Snide asides are now woven into the dialogues.
This is bad behavior. It's also bad, period, because so many Americans get their information from cable news.
The print media used to be different. It used to take pride in standing above such food fights.
Not anymore. In many places, print has abandoned even the pretense of objectivity. It's very hard, for example, to read the Op-Ed sections of the New York Times or Washington Post and think you're getting an evenly balanced chorus. (Thursday's Times featured op-ed pieces with these titles: "How Trump Lowered America's Standing in the World," "Trump Killed the Pax Americana," "Four Wasted Years Thinking About Donald Trump," "Lies, Damned Lies and Trump Rallies" and, too rich for irony, "Five Great Things Joe Biden Has Already Done.")
The Wall Street Journal — which leans decidedly in the opposite direction — ran an op-ed last week claiming those in charge of once-traditional newsrooms defend and protect Joe Biden "on the grounds that Donald Trump is a unique threat to democracy and that they have been forced to take commensurately unusual measures."
If true, that's the problem. We can't throw out the rules of journalism because we feel it's our moral imperative to replace one guy with another. Who put us in charge? Many in our business act as if we're simply smarter than the common folk who vote, and it is therefore our duty to give those people what's good for them.
When I watched the recent 60 Minutes interview with Trump — in which he evidenced more bad behavior by walking out before it was done — I took note of one question by the interviewer, Lesley Stahl. She asked, "Can you characterize your supporters?"
It struck me as odd. Would that be asked of Biden? It's as if those who support the current president are a strange cult, a foreign herd with wacked-out beliefs, instead of nearly half the country based on the 2016 election. Then again, as a Midwesterner, it often seems that many coastal "experts" can't grasp why anybody out here votes the way they do. That's not journalistic curiosity. That's hubris.
And more bad behavior.
Partisan grenades
Of course, we have plenty of inspiration from the politicians themselves. You can start with the president. There is no question his preening, his prevarication, his fast-and-loose-with-the-facts approach and his infatuation with putting people down is, by any measure, bad behavior. Heck, many of his supporters will admit that. He gathers masses with no COVID-19 concern. He lauds his staff members, then trashes them if they dare speak their mind. The Republican senators, congresspersons and governors behind him often seem to have taken a see-no-evil, hear-no-evil pact.
But if you think that makes his opponents holy, you're not being fair. Joe Biden brags about his "transparency," but he barked, "No they don't," when a reporter asked if the public had a right to know his stance on Supreme Court packing, and he remains radio silent about his son's business dealings, carefully avoiding any situations where he might be asked a single question. Is that really being "transparent?"
As for decorum? Nancy Pelosi called the president "morbidly obese" and said he's like a kid "with doggy doo on his shoes." Chuck Schumer threatened Supreme Court justices, saying, "You won't know what hit you." Hawaii Sen. Mazie Hirono, instead of casting a simple "nay" vote on Justice Amy Coney Barrett, marched to the table and declared, "Hell, no." And for adopting two kids from impoverished Haiti, Barrett was likened to a "white colonizer" and her kids as "props" by a celebrated author and professor.
Are we proud to express ourselves that way? Is that admirable behavior?
We've attacked one another over the simple act of wearing a mask. People have been shot. A security guard was killed. Over a mask? We die on the hill for that?
The summer of protests saw many good people gathering to be heard. That's our right, something to preserve. But the looting, burning, destruction and intimidation of innocent citizens was far too often excused or ignored because, once again, certain forces felt bad behavior, even violent behavior, was justified in the current ideological struggle.
Well, here's some breaking news: the struggle isn't going away. It won't magically disappear on Tuesday night. We will eventually have a freshly elected president, but he'll be presiding over the same nation, the same people, the same Congress, the same media and the same disagreements.
We keep acting as if this is the first time liberal and conservative have clashed, the first time race or police have been issues, the first time we've faced a health pandemic. None of that is true. And all of these things will repeat themselves in the future. In fact, they'll all still be here, smack in our face, come Wednesday morning.
How will we be any different?
A common refrain has been, "If Trump goes away, we'll all go back to being nicer." That's naive, like a 5-year-old pointing to his kid brother and saying, "He started it!"
The fact is, we've gotten quite used to behaving badly. To rude and self-righteous postures. So when do we stop? The Republicans shoved through a Supreme Court justice because they had the power; now the Democrats threaten to pack the court if they have the power. Does that sound like a stop? Twitter and Facebook, who brazenly act as editors of their users' viewpoints, aren't getting any smaller. Where's the stopping there? No matter who wins the White House, half the country will view it as Armageddon and vow to fight the oppressors.
Does that sound like an ending — or a beginning?
A recent poll showed three out of four Americans are concerned about violence on Election Day. City stores are being boarded up. Security is being strengthened near expensive properties. Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills is literally shutting itself down Tuesday and Wednesday. Violence when we vote? Does that sound like America, or a revolution in some small, war-torn country halfway around the world?
We are stressed, locked down, haunted by a common enemy virus that should have united us but instead divided us further. The truth is, our future won't be determined by who we choose to lead us this week. It will be determined by how we act after we do.
An American president, when he wakes up, doesn't step off a cloud. He is a representative, nothing more. What will he represent? What will we represent? Think about the friends we've lost this election season. The neighbors we've alienated. Who will we be on Wednesday, Thursday and beyond?
I know this: If the winners gloat and the losers threaten, we won't be any better than we've been the last six months. And does anyone really want the country of the last six months to be the country of the next four years?
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My friend Dan, who voted for Trump and who I had many intense arguments over Trump, posted this on FB. I have to say I have never respected him more. This Op/Ed says it all about us as a nation and what should be where we are going.
Should.
In his opinion.
But not necessarily in the opinion of a large group of Americans.
(My guess would be somewhere around 40%-- but my guess could bebe a bit off. )
probably less than half of Americans-- but still a very significant amount of people.
What is being expressed in this Op/Ed has been going on much longer that 6 months. The author actually admits that fact half way through the article.
The media has been 'behaving badly' forever! The Founders decried what the newspapers were saying about them. Look at how William Randolph Hearst used his media empire.
In recent history, as we all know, the media was 'in the bag' after 9/11. We know that Bush paid journalists to write 'fake news'. We know that the Judith Miller was fed information by the WH and acted as a stenographer rather than as a journalist. The failings of the media on both sides was catastrophic.
Yet the fact is, there can be no doubt that the minute by minute firebombing by Trump sucked all of the oxygen out of the room and has been exhausting for everyone. Trump's narcissistic need to be the center of attention has made it all but impossible for us to catch our breath and deal with the REAL challenges we face as a country.
That didn't form from the ether. Trump is responsible for that fact. PERIOD, full stop. Trump politicized masks and all forms for Covid mitigation. Hell, we just found out that Trump's Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, has been Covid positive and they hid it from the public. Meadows has been galivanting around without a mask for DAYS.
I for one do not think it should be considered an 'attack' if I SCREAM about just how fucked up Meadows actions are.
I find it ironic that the author speaks of dying 'on the hill for that' while in reality, MANY ARE, and NOT via gunfire but because assholes won't wear masks, via the virus.
That could have been said in 2016. Little did we know that Jan. 2017 was the highlight for the next 4 years.
We've attacked one another over the simple act of wearing a mask.
As well we should! I will continually refuse to defend the actions of actual or potential "super-spreaders"-- be they the president of the United States or merel ordinary citizens!!!)
That didn't form from the ether. Trump is responsible for that fact. PERIOD, full stop. Trump politicized masks and all forms for Covid mitigation. Hell, we just found out that Trump's Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, has been Covid positive and they hid it from the public.
Meadows has been galivanting around without a mask for DAYS.
Well, if there's any change in news from the WH-- perhaps soon we may see Darwin's Law begin to play out amongst those who embody it...?
These clowns can get away with not following best practices, because they're tested often and get world-class medical treatment immediately.
Goodpoint-- sometimes I do tend to forget that.
And on that note: once again the Republicans in the Lincoln Project "hit one out of the park!"
The Lincoln Project - "Priceless"
Seriously-- how can you have an intelligent discussion with a total moron like Meadows! (A perfect example of a prime candidate for the "Darwin Award"!!!) Walking around in the tight closed quarters of offices in the WH? Maskless?)
Having an intelligent discussion with the likes of Meadows?
Lets remember this piece of sage advice:
If you're going to push on a rock, push on one that moves....
Your comment misses one very important fact. The liberal left was attacking people wearing MAGA hats well before COVID-19 came around!
Were their injuries severe?
Okay. Excuse me, I should have said verbally attacking attacking but you already knew I meant that anyway I suspect.
Of course I knew.
I was underscoring your casual usage of violent language.
You're not alone. Far from it. That doesn't make it OK.
Feel free to remind me of this if I ever fail to heed my own advice.
Neither side should engage in violence.
You are absolutely correct.
It isn't that simple.
IMNAAHO, depriving people of health-care is violence. Regularly demonstrating to a population that they may be killed without consequences... is violence. And so on.
If "one side" regularly commits economic or social "violence", it's hard to forbid physical violence in retribution.
Pretty sure I can never have respect for anybody who voted for Trump. [removed]
This misses the most important point.
Discussion with denialists is pointless.
What is a compromise with a flat-Earther? "The Earth is a half-sphere"?
What is a compromise with an AGW-denialist? "Let's allow 6° rather than 3°"?
What is a compromise with a racist?
......
There can be no compromise with "wrong".
Thanks for proving the point of the seeded article so perfectly. Why would any of us on our side want to dialogue with or reach compromise with an attitude like shown in your written words?
You're a proud denialist, eh?
Well, of course I could be wrong-- but at times he definitely sounds a lot like one of The Proud Boys!
Well I must say, your attitude has been no secret ....for quite some time now....
Really? That kind of personal and name calling insult of me as a member was allowed to stand? No wonder other conservatives have gotten frustrated here and left for more fair pastures elsewhere....
And I was willing to dialogue when Obama and Trump were our President. Now, I see no point in reaching out.
I am hoping the Proud Cut Boys will be classified as domestic terrorists and get rounded up.
I will never have anything in common with far right wing fascists.
Talk about a classic case of kettle/pot, eh?
I totally agree.
There's an olde saying:
“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
And speaking of Bob's comment, above (with which I totally agree):
Discussion with denialists is pointless.
I am reminded of an important historical event.
Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there dwelt this bloke by the name of Neville Chamberlain . . .
(The rest of this story ...is history
Again, re" Bob's comment:
This misses the most important point.
Discussion with denialists is pointless.
For those unfamiliar with what Chamberlain did-- here are the (preliminary) results:
Neville Chamberlain returns from Germany with the Munich Agreement
Unfamiliar with the history?
Well I guess I'm just really into old sayings today. So to just slightly rephrase one of these, I think its important to point out that:
Those who cannot remember the past are probably spending too much of their time on Social Media sites!
Krish,
That was one leader being fooled by another.
We are talking about the American people here. Those are our brothers and sisters.
And if you want to quote history:
"A house divided against itself cannot stand."
Yes. I grieve for their loss.
True.
But when Chamberlain returned to England he was met with cheers-- and those were common folk.
When was there ever an American Presidential election that the votes were not divided between the candidates?
When was the presidential vote ever unamimous?
Except maybe for George Washington? Well, I could be wrong--that period of history is not exactly my area of expertise! (Except for the Kerfuffle about the Cherry Tree-- I never really trusted him after that!)
Allowing differences of opinion is the hallmark of a democracy.
(Totalitarian regimes, however, don't permit that).
BTW-- here's a "Fun Fact": Saddam Hussein had free elections. And not only that-- he was always re-elected with 100% of the vote.
(Yes-- he had very committed "poll watchers"....they would have done Trump proud!).
No "House Divided" for Saddam!
Interesting how many can be fooled by far right wing propaganda.
Bob,
Your assumption is that all people who voted for Trump are flat earthers, AGW denialists and racist. That is a huge mistake. Lots of people voted for Trump because they thought a political outsider would yield something different. Those are the people you can make peace with.
There is not a time on this sweet earth that we are all going to agree. But we can get to agree on somethings and work from there.
I didn't get that from Bob's comment at all. I read it as giving examples of groups, driven by ideology, who are impossible to compromise with.
That may have been true in 2016, it is NOT in 2020. Now they KNOW who Trump is, they know what he's done and they voted for him anyway.
HOW do you make 'peace' with that?
That was true in 2016. After four years, it's no longer true. Biden got the biggest popular vote in history, but only won 52-48.
The crazy people who harass a Biden bus on a turnpike are "normal Trumpists". The "people voted for Trump because they thought a political outsider would yield something different" have had more than enough time to see their man for what he is. In 2020, they could not plead ignorance. Perhaps some of them voted for Biden. Others stayed with Trump.
In any case, they're no longer ignorant.
Many people, including politicians, have been doing that for years.
To cite but well known example, consider the relationship between Ronald Reagan and Tip O'Neill.
(But when we tried to "work from there"...since Trump took office, things like that haven't increased-- in fact they've regressed!)
There's an old saying. In fact-- there's even an Emoji for that!
Good Point!
And BTW, something for people to keep in mind: just as we (the "Progressives") are totally sure that we' are right, (and therefore we must convert those ignorant Trump Cultists to "seeing the light")-- remember, they are ;also just as sure that they're right-- and therefore must convert us "ignorant" Progressive to "see the light" and convert to their POV!
Exactly.
Another example-- how do you "make peace" with people like this?
Flat-Earthers are sure they're right.
Trumpism is a cult. Its members abandon rational thought in favor of belief in their leader. They believe... but they're wrong.
Yes, and I pointed out that does not define every Trump voter.
That is because they bought into the lies like gun-grabbing, and higher taxes. We all make mistakes.
You think that didn't happen in my family? Try again, because it did. I am hoping that once Biden is in, they will see that the nonsense they have been hearing for 4 years will fade away into the background.
I totally agree-- "trumpism" is has all the characteristics of a cult-- and in fact is a cult. And an evil one at that!
The only thing i can say in defense of some Trump voters-- is that some (a minority) are not "Trumpists". Rather, some voted for him for other reasons.
Yes-- and sometimes there's are actually cases of entire nations making mistakes-- for example the people of Germany believing what Hitler preached during his rise to power.
)Oh my-- my HDS is acting up again!)
Or even the population a YUGE country like Russia making the mistake of believing what Stalin and other Communist leaders preached (although IIRC there was a smaller percentage of Russian making the mistake of believing Stalin than Germans believing Hitler).
And on another level, there are frequently stories on the news of people making the mistake of robbing liquor stores, etc (often resullting in long sentences in jail)-- even in rare cases horror stories of mothers making the mistake of murdering their own babies!
Heck, I have no right to criticize! I have made many mistakes in my life.
After all, with a few rare exceptions (those of us who are Space Aliens and the like ) -- we're all only human!
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*HDS = Hitler Derangement Syndrome . (A strong dislike-- even Hatred-- of Adolf Hitler-- for no good reason!
It starts out "May you never know" Perrie. I have no idea why you're reacting negatively to that.
I would much rather it all be brought to the forefront and challenged. If we don't it will just foment. There are a lot of things on Trump's wish list that we need to make sure no other President can put in question. As I said elsewhere, we need to codify Obergefell and Roe. That will take them off the table.
Think about that for a moment and I am sure you will figure it out.
That I agree with 100%, but one has to wonder how to do that with the senate in the hands of the Republicans?
Nope, still can't figure out why you reacted negatively.
I'm not giving up on the Senate. We can win the 2 sets in Georgia and put McConnell into the minority.
Your sentence literally doesn't make any sense. Good job.
Dennis, I am talking about getting something done. The upper house has more power behind it than the house (hence why it is called the upper house). If anything is going to get done with this administration it will be if they have the senate and not the house.
If I were partisan, I would have wanted both houses, and stack the courts. I don't. I am just talking in terms of reality. And btw... this game of gotchya about my party affiliation gets really old.
Oh FFS Dennis, you say that with a straight face after the way the GOP fucked the Obama admin at every possible turn for 8 effing years?
Give us all a break.
I have to agree with you, and I didn't even vote for the guy.
We've seen, with Obama, that calm and patience... do nothing.
Biden must go over the Senate's head, to speak to the American people. He must pass bills in the House, and introduce them in the Senate. Then explain to the people what the Republicans are blocking.
Treat the people as thinking adults.
That's been missing for the past 12 years. Let's just say I doubt it will be coming back any time soon. It's needed but I just don't expect to see it.
I don't remember it ever having been done, and I've been watching current events for sixty years...
And the GOP gained house seats, will keep the senate and gained a governor and a pair of state legislative chambers to improve our redistricting post census position. Most of our gains were by people who support Trump. We support him for a whole variety of political, economic, judicial, energy, national security, and religious liberty reasons. Bigotry and racism played no role in that support. In fact Trumps support among African Americans, Hispanic Americans, Asian Americans, Gay Americans, and Jewish Americans was the highest of any Republican running for President since the year I was born, 1960. Many new GOP office holders and close losses were women and minorities supporting Trump. Trump actually did win a majority of Jews who were Orthodox or are Americans living in Israel. So spare the recriminations. Not only did we support Trump, we did so proudly and knowingly with no intent ever to make any apologies for it and if given the chance will happily and proudly do it again in 2024. Like various articles in the media suggest Trump may not personally win this year but Trumpism did, it’s stronger than ever and we aren’t going anywhere.
Like those that were forever bitter from 2016-now and even in winning can’t let it go?
Like Dems did to Bush 43 the 8 years before that and we are going to do to Biden now unless democrat attitudes change real fast....
You read what you want to read Dennis. My words are clear and speak for themself. Feel free to interpret them any way you like, but the moment you try to define me, it's personal since you have no idea of who I am.
Capisce?
I will always wonder if any of the Trump supporters who he left in the cold at that one rally switched to Biden after that.
Anybody who voted for Trump I consider an enemy. This isn't over.
Far right wing fascism needs to be destroyed yesterday.
I am proud to be your enemy!
Well it’s a good thing we don’t have more than a few thousand who follow that evil ideology scattered across the entire nation.
Trummp is the only POTUS to lose the popular vote twice,
once by over 3 million
and now by over 4 million.
that's more than a few thousand.
Butt I hear ya, I hope there's only a few thousand clinging bitterly to the belief that recounts
will reverse Trump's or Biden's future.
I was looking into that. Near impossible to win two-- maybe will win 1.
I could be wrong but fromwhat I've read the odds are very, very strong Dems will lose both.
Of course dems still have the Presidency!
(Although if this seed is to be believed-- having the Presidency is meaningless unless we all change-- and how likely is that?)
Heck, since the presidency is meaningless unless we change-- maybe next time we shouldn't waste out time with "meningless things " (like voting for president)-- and all we have to do is change!I win;t waste my time voting-- and just change!
Sounds like a plan!
The guy's a born loser.
His businesses go bankrupt.
He's lets himself be controlled by Putin.
And now's he's lost this election, as well as losing support form much of his own Party!
But he still has chump @2.3.34
I do, honestly, feel sorry for chump.
Everyone should think for themselves and not simply accept as truth what others proclaim. I have no sympathy for those who routinely adopt and parrot the thoughts of others. This kind of behavior is what gives others undeserved power.
That's the vast majority of Trumpists. You, who are very attached to facts, must observe with horror the enormous volume of "alternative facts" that are accepted as "true facts" in right-wing media.
Trumpists "adopt and parrot" them.
The only Trumpists who do not "adopt and parrot" are the cynics who organize this monstrous dupery. They know the "true facts"..
Totally agree.
And further, what is the compromise with a young earth creationist? Split the difference between 9,000 and 4.5 billion?
What is a compromise with Qanon conspiracy theorists? What is a compromise with fascism?
Some "points of view" that have been thoroughly debunked and have zero evidence supporting them such as flat earthers, young earthers, climate change deniers and those who believe their race is somehow superior should never be compromised with, they need to be vehemently and loudly rejected because continued belief in such bullshit makes us all less safe.
This last part, unfortunately, is true, and I'm not sure how to change it. I've seen some really nice people, that I like, say that Democrats just want to destroy the country. Now, I don't know any Democrat who wants to destroy the country. I also don't know any Republican who wants to destroy the country. I think each party has different ideas about how to make the US the best country it can be, and sometimes disagree vehemently. But I don't think we can explore those ideas, and find common ground, until each side quits thinking of the other as purposely destructive.
But I don't know how to achieve that. Gently calling out belligerent comments, perhaps? Stating a party's or individual's true position every time the opposition tries to substitute its own pejorative interpretation?
I've tried that, on occasion. It works with some folks, not with others.
That's a great example.
Those people are "really nice"... but they are wrong. Crazy wrong. Foolish wrong. Destructive wrong.
They're nice... personally. But they support evil. (Racism, misogyny, xenophobia, ... are evil.)
So our problem is to reach / teach them, without any compromise.
I naively continue to hope they will remember that they call themselves Christian.
And those brownshirts who march with torches chanting "Jews won't replace us" are good folk?
No, I'm very sure I never said that. Why would you ask such a question?
There is such a thing as "need to know" even in politics. Also there is discernment. And wise-dom to judge when its best to tell the whole truth or simply hold one's peace. Transparency does not mean - "emptify oneself"- to every [reporter] who ask!
That would be impractical and stupid. Surely, there are professionals and others that would love to take another's business and put it in the gutters of this world.
I'd like to believe that no one is stupid enough to think that another person's unsettled plans must be made public.
It's a wish for chaos.
Perhaps that's the objective.
Well, that is something that every voter needs to know, IMO. If a candidate intends to introduce a significant change in the structure of government, that shouldn't be something they keep to themselves.
Sure.
But if a candidate is weighing the opinions, silence is appropriate.
Did Senate Leader Mitch McConnell warn government that he had a long-term strategic plan to wholly conservatizeof federal courts, if possible. No, he kept it close to his chest. Until the reveal. Now then, the only reason anyone is asking Biden about his government plans for the courts is because of what someone, Mitch McConnell actually brought to reality.
Perrie,
I really like this piece. It's true. The way people have been acting with one another is ... well, a lot of things, but I think sophomoric is a good singular descriptor. My family has not divided like I've seen with so many. We love each other and there's no changing that.