An Election Reflection

Ghanaians love Americans, and therefore friends, and even strangers met on the tro tro or while walking, are open to talking to me for hours and hours about anything. Through these conversations I have observed a few things – first, that regardless of their social status or financial situation they are relentlessly positive and happy with their lives. Second, that they are generally well educated on current affairs and have their own opinions on different current events and political issues. Third, that though they have these opinions, they are also accepting of people who disagree. I think that right now especially, Americans could all take a cue from the Ghanaians and incorporate the third lesson into our lives a little more.

On the surface, people may seem drastically different from one another – skin color, life goals, language, education – but if we take the chance to dig deeper we are able to recognize our overwhelming similarities. Deep down we have the same disappointments, longings, desires, and troubles. On the eve of an election day I think that is especially important to remember. That's because this lesson holds true not only for people from different countries, where the surface differences may be glaring and hard to avoid. This lesson also holds true for the friend, neighbor, or in law who votes Republican while you vote Democratic (or vice versa). While it may be hard to admit, in most cases the people from the opposing party are just that – people – like you and me. They feel the same despair as we feel when they face a loss at school or at work and they want just as badly as we do that future generations have access to the things they need.

During an election year it can be easy to cannibalize each other and get into the “us” versus “them” mentality. That mentality has gotten America into trouble in the past four years as important policies and bills such as health care reform and the DREAM Act have been stalled due to political disagreement among our elected representatives. We elect these officials with the expectation that they will do their jobs with as much efficiency, integrity, and determination as each of us would if we were in their position. It is unfair then, to draw party lines so thick that they become like Iron Curtains.

No matter who wins the election tomorrow, millions of Americans are going to be very unhappy. They are going to be more determined to progress their party’s platform using any means possible, recognizing that they will have to fight even harder now that the president is from the opposing party. But what if we thought like Ghanaians and shifted the dialogue away from “fighting harder” and towards working together? I think that we might be amazed at how much more we could accomplish, for the good of all Americans. This country, and the history, values, and culture that come with it, is the tie that bind us all and will never change. The first step to compromise is recognizing the common humanity in the other side. It’s times like these when it is important to remember that before we are Republicans or Democrats or Independents, we are Americans . One nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.