The World Doesn't End This Week

Yesterday, we spent some time in each of my classes talking about voting rights in Idaho. My students were surprised and happy to learn that they can register to vote at the polls on the day of the election in Idaho.

Today, one of my students mentioned that she wanted to vote, but was nervous to go to the polls alone because she's never voted before. In fact for most of my students, this is the first time they have been eligible to vote--what an initiation! Although I voted early, weeks ago, I offered to go to the polls at 5 PM with this student, if she wanted moral support; she said she might. Then I extended the offer to any of my students. I offered to give them a ride, or to meet them there tonight.

When I arrived as the sun was going down and the temperature was dropping, I saw a line stretching out of city hall, down the sidewalk, and around the corner. It was growing by the minute as more young people arrived, having finished with classes and work for the day, eager to participate, many for the first time, in this great experiment called democracy.

My nervous student wasn't there; I hope she found another friend to go with her. I did see a few of my other students, and we waved at each other and chatted cheerfully for a few minutes as they waited patiently in line. One of my students told me she wasn't too nervous about the election, but mostly excited. She was happy to be exercising her civil rights and responsibilities. As we chatted, I overheard another student, not one of mine, say to his friends that even though he knows his vote won't make a difference here because Idaho's electoral votes are going to go to Trump anyway, there was no way he was going to miss the chance to participate in this election. He believes his vote matters, even if it doesn't ultimately change the outcome. Everywhere I looked, I saw the same passionate hope, and I felt so proud.

I see approximately eleventy-dozen headlines a year for articles about how Millennials are disengaged, ignorant, lazy, entitled, selfish, irresponsible, losers. It's infuriating, because as a college professor I work with Millennials every day. I have taught nearly a thousand students at four universities, in four different states. The young people I saw waiting in line to vote tonight are not exceptional, except to the degree that their entire generation is. They are enthusiastic. They are engaged. They are resilient. They are compassionate. They work hard, many working 20 or more hours per week while maintaining full-time enrollment and still having to take on debt to pay for their education. Some of them have been military veterans; others are preparing to serve in the armed forces. They are, on the whole, pragmatic yet still hopeful, even in the face of obstacles that would crush some previous generations.

That is why I am confident that regardless of the outcome of this election, this week is not the beginning of the end of the world or this country. We can keep on screwing up America for the next four years, even the next eight, and as long as we don't actually manage to burn it to the ground, America will eventually be OK. The future is, ultimately, in the hands of these Millennials, and that's a great thing.

UPDATE, written at about 2am. Shared on Facebook, want to share it here too.

I managed to tear myself away from poll-watching for a few hours, but had to check one more time before trying again to sleep. All evening I have been praying for grace. Grace in my heart, to not give in to anger and to have compassion for my political adversaries, some of whom I love as family. Grace for this nation, that we may survive the outcome of this election and recommit ourselves to liberty and justice for all. Grace for a world engulfed in uncertainty, violence, and oppression, but searching for light and mercy, that God's light and mercy will shine brighter than the darkness through each of us.

America, I'm not breaking up with you, but I'm really terribly disappointed, not just in your choices tonight but in the past 16 months. We have to do better.

To all my friends who feel unsafe and alienated tonight because of the policies Trump has proposed, I love you. You are not alone and all is not lost. I will stand up for you, for liberty, and for justice.

To all my friends who voted 3rd party: this election was insanely close, and a lot of people are going to blame you for the outcome, and maybe you will second-guess yourselves, but I don't. You faced a difficult choice and followed your conscience. I wish the race had gone differently. I wish McMullin had won Utah. I wish your wish for real change had worked. Keep fighting for what you believe. We need idealists as well as pragmatists.

To all my friends who voted for Trump: I'm upset, but I'm not going to blame you. I am going to call on you now to be better than your candidate. You say you voted not for racism, misogyny, fearmongering, ableism, and authoritarianism, but rather for SCOTUS judges who will uphold the constitution, to protect religious freedom, to increase economic security, and to protect us from extremism. Now you must prove that you really believe it by pressing congress to prevent your guy from carrying out his worst campaign promises.

To the rest of the free world, on behalf of my country, I'm sorry. We let you down. I hope there are enough of us sickened by this election that we will do better next time. I believe there will be a next time.

Now the words of St. Francis' prayer comes to mind: Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon. Where there is darkness, light. Where there is sadness, joy! Oh divine Master, grant that I may not seek to be consoled but to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive, and it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life. Amen.