The Sky is Falling

I grew up playing little league sports and loving it. Part of sports is learning how to win, how to lose, and how to keep going even things don't go your way. I've seen my friends put their children into sports or dance competitions or Ag competitions. Whether a child competes in rodeo or ice skating, he learns new skills, makes new friends and learns life lessons. When parents try to spare their children from disappointments and losses the life lessons are also lost. They do not learn to be happy for their friends who won. They do not learn to disagree and walk away friends. Every decision becomes a battle ground where lines are drawn and there is no going back. The senior class may vote on prom theme. Those who voted for the losing theme may decide not to go to prom because their theme was not chosen. Friendships may be lost because one friend voted for a different theme. Kids could go into years of counseling over the time wasted in all those years of schooling only to have the prom ruined by a horrid theme. The future of the entire class could rest on choosing the correct theme. The losing side could go on to become drug addicts who never have a stable life.
Does this sound ridiculous? Fast forward to modern politics. Each side believes all the lies written and published about the other side. Each side believes the country will cease to exist as we know it if the opposing party wins. There are Some important issues that I have definite opinions about. I can vote according to my beliefs. I can campaign to try to change the minds of others to vote my way. But losing is not the end. I now see my family split over who we support for President. I saw My family split 4 years ago over the same thing. Seriously?!? Is it worth selling or abandoning all I have to move to Canada? I have heard people from both sides threaten to leave the country based on the outcome of the election. I am afraid of what will happen. I have tried to read as much as possible in both sides so I can make an informed decision. I have learned That one side is free to post opinions or lies on the internet while the other side is attacked for posting anything in support of their candidate. I have never seen politics in such a sad state. I have never seen the country so divided. Each side has an all or nothing point of view and a loss means their world is over.
So what is the problem with our country? Is it just bad sportsmanship? Do we have too many adults who never learned how to lose and keep going? I think that is part of it. There is also a lot of anger. And a willingness to believe lies. Some do not trust anything published in major media. Some do not trust anything from political groups. Most of it is beyond me. But I know I miss the days when we could disagree on a meeting and walk out friends. I miss the times we could just agree to disagree. I miss the days when one's identity was not tied into how they voted.  We were all just Americans. It feels we have turned a corner and politics will never be the same. I know my family will never be the same. It will be hard to forget how we have been treated, talked to, and talked about over this election.