Crazy year, crazy election
The 2020 presidential election was brutal, which in a weird way was kind of fitting because the entire year has been brutal. I have strongly advocated voting and use my blog to try and share information about the history of the presidential voting process, and the process itself. All of that is based on factual information and doesn’t change regardless of which candidate you supported.
I don’t want to parse the results here because I absolutely consider myself a political independent, and the purpose of From In Here is to bring people together through the things we share, not focus on the things that separate us. Looking at it objectively, though, the numbers are what they are. Legal challenges to the result have had no impact at all. Domestic and international polling observers all reported positive outcomes of their watchfulness. The popular vote and the electoral college results all show Donald Trump did not win. It was not even close like during the Bush-Gore election
Media everywhere
Before we became immersed in the Internet age, children could only access election information by TV, radio or newsprint. Parents had much more control, and Kids who were interested in politics really had to seek it out. Media provided interested individuals the important information they needed. Social media and the 24-hour news cycle have changed everything.
The modern media gives an unprecedented number of people across all walks of life and all geographic location ways to share thoughts, feelings, theories, plots, opinions and suspicions with the world. Every little thing has the potential to go viral and ricochet around the country and the world. Often, the more of an emotional response a message stirs, the more it spreads and persists. Anger, fear and outrage seem to travel particularly effectively. People get caught up in the emotion and frequently don’t concern themselves with the truth or lack thereof of the message.
Even when you limit your child access to electronics, they still have access through iPads and computers being used widely for schoolwork, and through other kids. As the saying goes; cutting off electronic influences like ‘ trying to stop the tide.’ Managing the reality of our kids’ exposure rather than trying to prevent it from happening.
The results of the presidential election are clear to everybody but the incumbent president. He insists that there was widespread voter fraud across multiple states, despite a lot of facts, domestic and international observers, livestreamed counts, and court rulings that show otherwise. As of the writing of this post, he still adamantly refuses to acknowledge that he did not win the election.
Sportsmanship
I understand that he is competitive. I understand that nobody likes to not win. I realize that he doesn’t have much respect for the office of the president of the United States, or even the electoral process.
But he’s a father, many times over. 5 children from 3 wives. How does he not understand at this point the terrible example he is setting for children? The message being conveyed is that if you don’t like the outcome of something, insult the opponent and refuse to accept that you didn’t win.
I think every parent tells their child at some point that is important to show good sportsmanship. We are supposed to try and model good behavior for children because they take their cues from us. People who are in leadership positions have a great influence on adults as well as children. And then those people affect children around them even more directly.
The fact that you did not win a game, a contest, a match, an election, does not in and of itself make you a loser. The way you handle the aftermath, does.