Final Thoughts - We Have Elections...Not Races to the Bottom
In this episode, Grace addresses the aftermath of a tumultuous election, emphasizing the enduring aspects of daily life and the importance of remaining grounded amid misinformation and divisive rhetoric. It calls for constructive criticism based on facts, highlights the significant political shifts in South Carolina, and underscores the need for legislative reform, including ending gerrymandering. Grace advocates for community engagement, leader accountability, and rekindling civic bonds to tackle shared concerns like infrastructure and social divides, urging listeners to stay involved and connected long after election day.
00:00 Post-Election Reflections
00:42 The Role of Facts in Constructive Criticism
01:18 The Power of Community and Common Concerns
02:30 Political Shifts and Legislative Challenges
03:21 The Importance of Democratic Values
04:42 Reviving Community Bonds
05:11 Demanding Accountability from Leaders
06:02 Staying Engaged Beyond Election Day
Copyright 2024 Grace Cowan
Transcript
When the election is finally over, the sun will continue to rise, the kids will go to school, the birds will sing, the ocean waves will roll in, and the mountains will still stand tall. We will be on the other side of one of the most tumultuous election cycles of our lives, and almost half of our country will have to digest a painful political loss.
Grace:Social media will be buzzing with misinformation and disinformation. If we resist the urge to react to every piece of sensational news and focus instead on what we know, what we can verify, and what is constructive, we can begin to heal the fabric of our nation. All effective criticism should include a reference fact.
Grace:Because the facts, start over, because without facts we are left with opinions, presumptions, and assumptions. When anger and drama and emotional language are included, we fall victim to propaganda. Purposeful misinformation, disinformation, influencing in order to appear factual, which harms us on the whole.
Grace:Remember that a lot of what we will see is meant to stir our emotions and polarize our communities. So staying grounded in real conversations, not online controversies, is critical in these vulnerable times. And let's also remember that most of us in the state of South Carolina, despite the rhetoric group.
Grace:And let's also remember that most of us in the state of South Carolina, despite the rhetoric we hear and despite the rhetoric we repeat, we're open hearted people. We're open minded and we're quick to come to our neighbors in need. Look no further than the truckloads of goods still going to the upstate in North Carolina.
Grace:If we've learned anything from this cycle of an election, it should be that as Americans, we take voting seriously. The turnout for early voting in this state has been a powerful reminder that when we give people the opportunity to vote, they will vote. We most certainly have diverse voices, but we also have common concerns.
Grace:Our state is a beautiful mix. People of different backgrounds, beliefs, experiences. And over the past week on this podcast, we've heard from people all over the Palmetto State, each sharing unique perspectives that almost always includes our common hopes and concerns. Where are we headed? Big questions are on the minds of all of us.
Grace:Who will lead our schools? Will infrastructure keep up with rapid development? And how do we address the cultural and social divides that make so many feel alienated? South Carolina saw a major political shift in 2022, with Republicans gaining a super majority in the House for the first time since the 1870s.
Grace:Now they're only one Senate seat away from similar control, which means that our state's future policies hang in the balance of one view, of one party. One reality we cannot ignore is that many of our election outcomes are predetermined. Our legislative districts are drawn to benefit those currently in power rather than to fairly represent the people's will.
Grace:History tells us that people who are mad for power are a mortal threat to democracy. The most non cowardly thing a leader can do is avoid that temptation of power. Absolute power corrupts. So let your beliefs and ideas sell themselves. Democracy is about majority rules. Our leader so let me say that again.
Grace:Democracy is about majority rule. Our leaders in a democracy are only temporary stewards of a cause far greater than themselves. If they manipulate the public's emotions with their partisan loyalties to pursue the purposes of their own elevation, it's on the ruins of public liberty and we all suffer the consequences.
Grace:Our legislature needs reform, including independent redistricting and a path for citizen led ballot measures. Without these, too many of our voices are lost. We must put an end to gerrymandering in this state. The great poison. Nope. Let me say that. Another poison is an us versus them mentality. When we limit our perspectives to our own experiences, we risk feeding an us versus them mentality.
Grace:Let me start that over. When we limit our perspectives to our own experiences, we risk feeding an us versus them mentality, looking for someone or something to blame. But most of us aren't, but most of us aren't extremists. We are mostly moderates, and we're tired of divisive narratives, and we are looking for solutions.
Grace:There is a difference between a race and an election. A race is a competition between two opposing teams. An election is a competition of ideas brought forth by multiple teams in search of the best ideas. We need to continue investing in our communities. Have we forgotten that our power lies in coming together?
Grace:The everyday issues that bring us together, roads, housing, local economies, those are concerns that transcend our chosen party divides. We need to revive our community bonds. The younger generation craves the community ties that many older South Carolinians still remember. Their local theater, a small bookstore, or simply neighbors helping neighbors.
Grace:Transferable skills need to be used as life lessons. Skills like communication, self management, critical thinking, and ethical research aren't simply academic. They're the foundation of productive civic engagement in this 248 year experiment of our democratic nation. We need to think about who's leading us.
Grace:As voters, it is our responsibility to demand more from our leaders. Are they deliberate thinkers? Do they act with integrity and an eye toward what serves the community, rather than using manipulation to hold their seat or their position? We should expect accountability from every single person we elect.
Grace:Leadership should be more about who. Leadership should be about more than holding power. It should be about embodying the values and neighborly responsibility that bring out the best of all of us in this state. This is not just an election. It's a choice for our future. What happened on November 5th is more than one simple election.
Grace:It is a test of our commitment to each other and to our community, to a commitment to a future where we address issues together and where we ground ourselves in our shared values. We need to stay engaged. After election day and all of the chaos that's about to head our way, let's all stay involved.
Grace:Let's stay informed and let's stay connected. Let all of us remember that real change takes each and every one of us. Because the power of community lies not in any one good person or party, but in our ability to work together toward the common good. We have elections, not races to the bottom.
