Election Season

It seems to happen about the same time every year, sometimes twice a year. It’s the time when feelings are shared, words are spoken and people get hurt. It’s when things are said with intent, whispered to do harm and to change people’s minds. In this country it’s called election season.

In fact, it happens all around the world, some are more vicious than others. We have read all sorts of stories about rogue campaigns in far off places and some not so far away. The use of scare tactics that are designed to inflame and harm an individual’s character and credibility seem common place. Like this is the norm and the way campaigns are supposed to be run. Sometimes these are done with the candidate’s full knowledge and forethought, others done behind their back by outsiders that support the candidate or issue.

Of course this is not new. The Romans and Greeks had some wicked statements said for and against competitors. In America, things said forty, eighty even a hundred years ago in campaigns would curl your hair even today. This election cycle we hear stories from elections around the country that are hard to believe but true. Charges leveled at candidates or parties that have no truth but designed to inflame and incite a visceral reaction.

Locally, we hear a few of these stories as they are whispered at door steps instead of broadcast for all to hear. Many of the statements are undoubtedly false if one was to think about the statements, others are so far from the truth they are outright slanderous. Still others reflect some fact, some conjecture and some exacerbation woven into a tale that people may actually believe to be true.

It’s time that we all as a society and as a community step back a bit. Is this really the way we want to elect our representatives? This is certainly not new to Marina; it’s been going on for years. There are plenty of examples of cases from both/all sides over the years of whispered, printed and even stated comments that crossed the lines. Even acts of theft and property damage designed to intimidate or threaten.

The only way this stops here and elsewhere is when we ALL stand up and say it is unacceptable. Argue the facts, the policies and even the actions of the candidates. Talk about what you would do differently, your ideas, your proposed policies. It does not need, nor should it ever be personal. It’s not as easy as it sounds because many of the statements, policies and ideas of candidates are based on personal beliefs, thus making a counter argument sound personal when it is not. I think we all know when it crosses the line … the hard part is listening to that inner voice that says it’s too far, time to back off. It’s time we do a bit more listening to that inner voice

More later…