Get rid of the yard signs

Tomorrow is election day. It is hard to think about or concentrate on much of anything else. Months of campaigning, countless tv ads, tons of mailed brochures, endless phone calls and incessant emails will all come to an end. What a strange and messed up process. Millions of dollars are poured into these campaigns with extraordinarily little to show for it. Imagine what could actually be done with the money! I find myself wondering how we ever got to this place in our political system. It is absolutely mind numbing.

We moved to our new community at the end of August. Many of the services and common areas were on lock down to help prevent the spread of COVID. Meeting new people has been challenging to say the least. Absent conversations and social settings, we are left to try to guess or imagine what our neighbors and community might be like. Yard signs are weighted more heavily in this situation. Since we have nothing else to go by that information seems to hold more sway. Some neighbors are very subtle and have a discrete sign that may or may not give a clue to their leanings. Other neighbors all but threw up all over their years giving the appearance of screaming their views. I am turned off by such displays regardless of party affiliation. It reminds me of the quote “what you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you have to say” attributed to Ralph Waldo Emerson.

I like passionate people. It is great to see someone so taken by a thought, action, cause, or ambition. Such people can just radiate light. Yet, when it comes to political leaders it is off putting to me. It feels so closed off or short sighted. Maybe I would feel differently if I were moved by a political candidate. It would be great to feel that confident and inspired. I do wonder if any of our founding fathers were with us today if they would be as popular or inspiring as they are viewed by history. We will never know.

Although may races may not be resolved by end of day tomorrow, or in the very near future, I am looking forward to all of the signs being removed and to eventually getting to know our neighbors beyond the signs in their yards.