Some leaders only want to hold on to their power
Even if it takes
Perpetrating lies and suspicion before established procedures
To determine their worthiness.
If those procedures don’t work
Those leaders have, at least, two choices:
Accept the results
Or say the results were fraudulent and incorrect.
In this pandemic year,
The suspicion proponents objected to adjustments
In procedures
That would allow more citizens to vote
Securely and safely
Without having to risk their lives.
Challenges to those procedures
That have been created by courts and
Wise election officials
were questioned all along
But most changes were affirmed as legal
And appropriate
During a persistent pandemic.
Yet, attempts to limit voter access
Creation by the suspicious ones of
Fraudulent drop boxes for mail in ballots
To soil and undermine the voting the process
Did not prevent what election officials
And intelligence experts termed
A fair and free and smooth election,
Amazingly enough.
As returns came in,
Processing of large numbers of mail-in ballots
Were termed as “theft” or “fake”
Claims of observers having only limited access
When rules were being followed
And accusations about voting machines
(Which subsided as those companies sued their accusers)
Persisted
Because those who questioned the election
Just couldn’t believe the outcome
That their “chosen one”
Had lost to someone he had called a “loser”
And much worse.
It was not the media that called the election by itself
But the media in response to the state officials
Who certified their state results
Sometimes after pressure from the incumbent
Sometimes after claims that they were criminal
In their actions
Sometimes from members of their own party
Who just could not believe what happened.
The incumbent, and his legislative
And rank-and-file supporters
Continued subvert a smooth transition
With calls of “steal”
Which, for some, only ended
After the failure of nearly every court challenge
That found no widespread wrongdoing
No fraud
Only
People
voting
Their
Views
And conscience.
The continued claims of “fraud” and steal”
Created a pandemic of conspiracies
On top of conspiracies
And expressions of
the “Steal believers” feeling
Disappointed and disenfranchised.
You know what.....
I have personally felt disenfranchised
By the presidential results
Eight times in my memory
Seven times as a voter.
Yet, for some reason, I did not storm ANYTHING.
I did protest the candidates with quiet words
That sometimes became louder and,
Occasionally, public expressions
But I would never have done what
I saw on January 6.
Candidates may lose because of smear campaigns
Lies in political advertising
Revelations of their own misdeeds and personal foibles
And as a consequence of poor leadership and decision making.
No candidate or leader gets it right all the time.
However, when lives have been lost
And deaths from a deadly pandemic
Have been ignored, dismissed, or practically swept under the rug
In favor of claiming victory with the creation of vaccines
And people are told by many leaders that they still deserve
To be in power
It can lead to
What happened on that day
That has emboldened some of those
Who accepted at face value
What the incumbent told them.
At a time like this
We need
accountability from those who trespassed buildings and norms
Sincere apologies that might lead to forgiveness and healing
truth
Dispelling of theories that have no basis
Patience
Acceptance of each other’s humanity
Agreeable disagreement
Respectful discourse
And a little more love and peace in our lives.
It’s time to start on that journey.
Today.
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