Back in the day, I was taking a course in college under a scholarly gentleman who knew the material to be taught inside and out. But there was a bit of a problem with the composition of the class.
For reasons that are a bit hazy after all these years, perhaps a little over half of the students in the course were taking it to meet some particular requirement for their degrees. Many of those were jocks. They were not particularly interested in the subject, and the professor regarded them with something that came close to disdain.
Consequently, the lectures were so over the heads of most of these uninterested students that they began dropping the course as their bad grades began to be recorded. It wasn’t that they were incapable of learning the material as most, if not all, of them chose a different means of meeting their degree requirements and earning that degree on schedule.
But the professor, who was perceived as being a little bit elitist with a whole measure of smugness thrown in for good measure, was unable or unwilling to present the course in a manner so that most of these students could learn from him. A scholar, yes. A teacher, no. At least not for everyone.
Put in slightly different terms, he could not get his message across. He could not meet his audience—his students—where they were. So, they left him behind. Sound like any political party you know?
Trump’s decisive win in this week’s election was not a complete surprise to anyone who has been paying attention. Unlike his 2016 win, when the pollsters and pundits were saying that Hillary Clinton pretty much had it in the bag, that same group was consistently on message that the race would be close. And it was sort of close, but not close like 2000. He won it, pure and simple.
I’ll leave it to others to parse out why he won it. How Latinos voted, how women didn’t vote, what part sexism and racism played in it—all that sort of thing. To my simple mind, the reason he won is he got more votes. That’s how democracy is supposed to work.
Back in 2004, I had many friends who were bitterly disappointed when George W. Bush was returned to the White House after his questionable win over Al Gore in 2000. To be honest, I was in the “selected, but not elected” crowd during that first Bush term. But to my hand-wringing friends in 2004, one so distraught he tracked me down to the hotel room in Chicago where I was staying on a business trip, I said simply that he won the election and we will get the government we deserve. We always do.
To those who are happy about how this election has turned out, congratulations. I know that many of you have prayed hard about this election, and it seems your prayers were answered. The obvious caveat being that more tears are shed over answered prayers than unanswered ones, as the saying goes. Perhaps we should have a word of prayer on that.
Until just a few years ago, my congressional district was staunchly Republican. But this week, we elected a member of the LGBTQ community to represent us in Washington, and the first one from the South to be elected to do so. I have known Julie Johnson for more years than either of us probably would care to admit to, and there isn’t a person I can think of to better stand for the interests of all of us in what will undoubtedly be a bumpy road ahead. That’s a happy reality I wouldn’t have even dreamed of ever happening.
But for those who are unhappy about this week, it’s a time for licking the wounds and having a bit of a pity party. It might be helpful when it comes time to get back in the game to remember what has been gained and what fights have been won. Anything that was worth fighting for to get is certainly worth twice as much effort to keep.
Sometime soon, we’ll have to reach in the drawer and pull out the big girl panties or big boy boxers, but it may take a moment to get there. Sure it’s a struggle, but look at our history. It’s always been a struggle. And, as this week as shown, it always will be. That, too, is how democracy is supposed to work.
I try never to steal from others, only borrow, when it comes to using someone else’s words. So I’ll borrow something from Dolly Parton, which you may have already heard. It’s something of a paraphrase, but here goes.
When asked about how she achieved her success, her stardom, and all that she has accomplished, Dolly said, “I never stopped trying, and I never tried stopping.”
Well, if it’s good enough for Dolly…
