I always write Harbor blog posts on Tuesdays so they’re ready to be published and emailed on Wednesday. What this means on election days in the US is that I write a blog post having no idea what results will be announced in the late Tuesday or early Wednesday hours.
Not this time! Yesterday, though I anticipated a “blue wave,” I decided I would rather wait to write this reflection until this morning, when I would know exactly what happened in most of the races.
And it was quite the blue wave. The Democratic Party gained control—and not a little sliver of control, but with a real cushion—of both chambers of Congress. The wave included some historic and surprising wins: James Talarico (seminary-trained) became the first state-wide elected Democrat in Texas in 30 years; Adam Hamilton (Methodist pastor) became the first Democrat elected as US Senator in Kansas since 1932; and Keisha Lance Bottoms, also a Democrat, made history in Georgia as the first Black woman ever elected as a US state governor.
It was a big day for Democrats and, as you can see in the previous paragraph, for politically left-leaning Christians.
The only thought I want to add into this charged moment is a response to some of the discourse I’ve seen on social media recently. In the last week or so, I’ve seen various leftist/progressive/liberal/anti-Trump folks, who all agree that a Democrat victory is the goal, arguing exactly how good that news would be. A huge deal, or just a tiny little speck amid the ongoing work to be done? The implication of the argument being this question: How do we respond if a blue wave happens? Do we cheer? Exult? Or yell at the cheering people that far more work needs to be done, that marginalized people need far more protection?
My take, for what it’s worth, is that it’s okay to celebrate. But it’s not okay to become complacent. But it is okay to celebrate. And this might be a good opportunity to dust off the old “two things can be true at the same time,” or the even older “both/and.”
The two major political parties are rife with moneyed influence and corruption and one party is far more corrupt.
The blue wave is a really good thing and there is still so much to be done to make the US more just, equitable, and safe for all.
We can celebrate a national political development and stay involved in local politics.
Maybe it’s also a time to remember that it’s okay for people to respond differently to events. We don’t need to always be policing each other’s words, feelings, and social media posts. One person can remind us there’s still more work to do while another person takes a deep breath, smiles, and maybe sheds a couple happy tears.
Note: All opinions in this piece are mine (Jon Mathieu’s), not Harbor Online Community’s.
