Historians remind us that this election is not unique in terms of rancor and divisiveness. Alexis de Tocqueville, who visited the United States from France in 1831, wrote: “Long before the appointed day arrives, the election becomes the greatest, and one might say the only, affair occupying men’s minds. . . As the election draws near, intrigues grow more active and agitation is more lively and widespread. The citizens divide up into several camps. . . The whole nation gets into a feverish state.”
Nonetheless, most Americans experiencing the 2016 campaign have never witnessed such noxious public discourse. Voter suppression and voter fraud are both cited as dangers to our democracy. While there is considerable evidence for the former; the latter is statistically non-existent. Various court orders have been issued to states to lift restrictions to voter registration and to the GOP to prevent intimidation at the polls. The Democratic party, on the other hand, has dedicated itself to full voter registration and getting out the vote. Families and friendships have been torn asunder, with supporters of one presidential candidate vilifying supporters of the other. And the whole nation, anxious about the results, wonders whether these relationships can ever be healed.
I cannot tell you for whom to vote, but I can encourage you to follow your conscience when you do vote – and remind you of who we are. We Ethical Humanists affirm the worth and dignity of every person. Since our founding in 1876, we have devoted ourselves to social justice and the common good. We hold the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights with reverence. Remember who you are and what you value tomorrow and every day – and vote accordingly.
