Day: November 9, 2016

Thoughts On An Election

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

states_imgmapI am very tired and not particularly clear headed today. I stayed awake until almost 3:00 A.M. and was up and about by 6:30 this morning. I am presently confounded by the results of our Presidential election. I have been absolutely wrong from the first days of the primaries. I assured former students and friends and loved ones that Donald Trump would not make it past a few weeks of voting in those early days. Of course my predictions were way off. When he earned the nomination I insisted that he would never win. In fact I expected him to lose in the manner of George McGovern. As late as yesterday evening I thought that Hillary Clinton would be making an acceptance speech by 10:00 and I would be in bed by 11:00. I was utterly shocked as the returns came in and they kept favoring President Elect Trump.

Anyone who has kept up with my blogs has read the reasons why I did not think Donald Trump worthy of the presidency. I have outlined my views again and again. To be honest I wasn’t particularly jazzed about Secretary Clinton either. I crafted a humorous piece in which I made suggestions as to how she might become more relatable to the average person but of course my words were ignored. Along the way Ms. Clinton’s loyal followers began to deify her and that really worried me because we all know in our hearts that she is as deeply flawed as any of us are. It would have been far better to admit that both of the candidates needed to do some soul searching and then note that of the two Hillary had the better temperament for the job. I feared that creating a story that she was perhaps one of the most wonderful individuals ever to run for the office would be a big turn off to many voters and I suspect that I was correct.

In the end I had to follow my conscience just as everyone else did. I could not have voted for Donald Trump even if someone put a gun to my head. I could not bring myself to vote for Hillary Clinton either. I chose to submit a write in vote even knowing that it would not count. That is how I reconciled all of the misgivings that I had.

I have spent the last year and a half reading voraciously about both candidates and about our Constitution and form of government. I have learned about previous presidents who were far from noble. I have listened to viewpoints from both avid supporters of Donald Trump and those who were excited about Hillary Clinton. What I learned is just how earnest each side truly is. I even had one of my former students who is a young millennial minority explain why he felt that it was so important to vote for Donald Trump in spite of his obvious deficiencies.

I was often surprised by the sincerity of the arguments that I heard. I don’t have friends or family members who are deplorable people. They are all exemplary human beings with generous hearts and good intentions but some of them were wholeheartedly in the Trump camp. I wanted to know why and so rather than trying to convince them to change their minds I simply listened. I found that their reasons varied. Some of them were upset by economic setbacks that they had experienced. Others were concerned about the Supreme Court. There were individuals who were now struggling to afford healthcare since the enactment of the Affordable Care Act. I spoke with highly religious people who were worried that their faith was being ignored by our leaders. There were many adamantly against abortion who felt unable to abide by Ms. Clinton’s views. Always in the back of many of their minds was the sense that Secretary Clinton had not always been forthcoming in her dealings with the nation. Not one of them ever mentioned race, sexual preferences or the fact the Hillary Clinton is a woman as deciding factors in their decisions to support Donald Trump.  They also noted that they found it insulting to be viewed by so many as ignorant and mean spirited. They felt that nobody had been listening to them until Trump came along.

I travel a great deal down the side roads of America. I have been through the heart of our country far from the urban areas that almost unanimously voted for Hillary Clinton. I have seen places where factories are abandoned and towns have all but blown away unnoticed. I have felt a sense of guilt as I pass by beat up trailers and dilapidated homes occupied by people who sit in their yards staring vacantly into the distance. I suspect from the evidence that I saw last night that many of these people have felt as though nobody has been listening to them for a very long time. Donald Trump took the time to visit with them and provide them with a ray of hope. He won because he was able to earn votes in places like Michigan, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, traditional bastions of blue collar Democrats. They have been hurting and we have ignored them as a nation.

I am a well educated woman who lives in the fourth largest city in the country. Most of my friends were loyal supporters of Hillary Clinton. They are deeply hurt today. Their tears are real. They believed in Hillary’s message with all of their hearts. They are afraid that the ugliness that Donald Trump has so often voiced will become standard operating procedure in our country. They worry about the environment and fear that we will fall back into old habits that have harmed our land. They wonder who will advocate for minorities and the LGBT community. Their concerns are very real and just as visceral as the ones that Trump supporters have.

Perhaps the finest election speeches came from both the winners and the losers. President Elect Trump indicated that he wants to bind wounds. Secretary Clinton had one of her noblest hours as she urged her followers to work with the new President and within the system. President Obama spoke of the American tradition of a smooth transition which he will help to initiate.

Many times of late I have written of our need to communicate with one another in a spirit of compromise and optimism. The fighting between brother and brother, friend and friend, younger and older, one race and another should cease. I have learned that it really isn’t all that difficult to truly listen to what others have to say without thinking of what my response will be to those who do not share my views.

Many people were asking this morning what they should say to their children. I suspect that it isn’t really as hard to have an honest response as it may seem. Here is how I would approach it:

“We live in a great country but not one that is without its flaws. We are a nation of many differences so it is only natural that our political views will run the gamut of possibilities. Every four years we get the glorious opportunity to choose our President. In our history such moments have often been contentious. One election literally lead to the Civil War. Our candidates win sometimes and at other times they lose. Over the long haul things have a way of evening out. Our nation has been able to weather wars, depressions, assassinations and other difficulties that seemed at the time to spell doom. Over and over again we adjust and manage to keep moving forward. Each successive generation steps forward to hold the reigns and guide the United States to a better and better version of itself. In such a grand undertaking there are bound to be setbacks but we will always be okay as long as we work together in a spirit of cooperation and love of country. If we elect someone who is not up to the job we need only wait four years to find a more suitable replacement. We have certainly had to do that before and will no doubt have to do it again. Our system works so long as we do not allow our differences to cause us to turn on one another. Taking the high road is always the best path even when others choose not to do so. We can only hope for the best and if we believe in God, pray that He will guide us. Regardless of whether we are part of the winning team or not this is not a time for despair but one to celebrate our freedoms. They will still be ours long after the dust settles. History shows us that we will move ever forward. As more eloquent people have reminded us in the past there should be no red America or blue America, no Republican America or Democrat America. There should only be the United States of America”

A More Perfect Union

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

USconstitutionWeThePeople.jpgWe the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

We the people speak today as ordained by our founding fathers. Of course we all know that back when these words were written “the people” did not include women, blacks, Native Americans and others. Efforts to make our union more perfect and just have evolved over more than two centuries. We are still not perfect but constantly trying to get there. Today more of us are franchised than ever before. Millions will voice their opinions on who should lead our country. It is my prayer that whoever wins will remember his or her duty to all of the citizens, not just those from a particular base. “We the people” should be inclusive, not just we the women, we the college students, we the African Americans, we the union members, we the southerners, we the males, we the people from Hispanic countries, we the Christians, we the Muslims, we the Jews, we the gays and lesbians. Ours is a severely divided country and those at the helm must strive to secure our liberty for now and posterity by bringing us together in so far as possible. It will be a daunting task.

Ours is the most diverse country on the earth. We come from all over the globe. We are spread over a geographical area that includes plains, deserts, mountains, oceans, forests, big cities, rural towns, farms, mines. Where we live and how we work makes each of us just a bit different from the others. Still it was the grand hope of those who ratified our Constitution that we would somehow overcome the barriers that divide us in order to embrace the freedom that we all cherish. There were those who believed even as the founders were agreeing on the Constitution that it was folly to think that such a government would work for all of the people. They called themselves anti-Federalists and they predicted that we would one day be torn asunder when one group imposed its will on another. They believed that the most personal of the laws should be placed in the hands of those closest to the citizens, in other words the states. They lost the argument back then but their cautionary words are just as important today as they were when they first made them. We have to demonstrate a willingness to honor differences of opinion without the rancor that has become so common place.

Perhaps it is just a sign of age but I worry about the extremes that seem to be so prevalent in politics more so than usual. We can’t seem to find the middle road that brings satisfaction to the majority. We must learn how to hear arguments without becoming negative and personally insulting.

I saw a news segment featuring an old woman whose two sons had stopped speaking with each other because of their differing political views. The lady was quite upset that her family had been torn apart simply because neither of her children had been able to accept that we each have our own world views and we need not judge simply because one set of ideas does not match our own. Neither should we always feel compelled to change someone’s opinion. The mother wondered why her sons were so willing to turn on each other. Such situations are not that uncommon in the present super charged atmosphere. I have seen friendships end and quarrels become so devastating that a schism opened its wide jaws. That is not what was supposed to happen and I fear that if we do not begin to curb such tendencies our union will most surely be threatened.

We will soon know who our new President will be. I hope that we are all able to demonstrate respect for our system of government and for the person chosen to lead us, even if the vote is very close. I pray that the winners will not gloat and the losers will take the loss with dignity. It is not about just you or just me. It is about “we the people” and it is time for all of us to show the entire world that being a citizen of the United States means insuring domestic tranquility, protecting freedoms, and providing for the welfare of all. We cannot accomplish such noble goals if we refuse to even acknowledge one another. It is past time for us to make our country truly the United States of America. God bless America and guide us to becoming better than we have lately been.

A Bit of Heaven

Published on by Sharron BurnettLeave a comment

image39aWe used to own some property near Brazoria. It was a lovely place to take our two girls on weekends, a little get away from the big city and work. It sat next to a creek and was shaded by dozens of native pecan trees. A tiny house with two rooms and a bathroom was the only shelter from the heat and mosquitoes that always seemed to be waiting for us. Big ceiling fans kept us reasonably cool in the summer and an old ceramic gas heater warmed us when the weather turned chilly. We had no phone or television there. It was always quiet save for our conversations and laughter and an occasional song from a bird.

The land had once belonged to my husband’s Uncle Bob. He used it mostly for fishing and hunting. He built the tiny house as a concession to his wife who didn’t really care much for the primitive conditions and the work that being there always seemed to entail. Still, she knew how much Bob loved his little piece of heaven and so she was always a good sport about spending time there and often invited other members of the family to gather for barbecues and card parties. My husband spent many a weekend there when he was a boy with his extended family and his uncle’s friends and so he dearly loved being at the place that everyone knew as Bell Bottom.

The little plot of land sits in the heart of an area once inhabited by the first Texans. Just down the road there is an archeological dig unearthing implements, tools and everyday items that the pioneering people who lived there might have used. Stephen F. Austin’s grave is not far away. He was responsible for encouraging settlers from the eastern United States to build a colony in northern Mexico. The Mexican government wanted the wild and unsettled land to be developed and had agreed to give plots to anyone willing to meet their terms. Along the way bitter disagreements between the people who had come and the Mexican government lead to a revolution and ultimately a split that created the Republic of Texas. 

My husband never knew the exact history of the place which he eventually inherited from Uncle Bob. It was bottom land with rich soil made even better by the deposits of sediment that the creek made whenever it flooded over its banks. We enjoyed exploring along the usually shallow waterway in a flat bottom boat that we tied to the hood of our car when we came for visits. It was quite lovely floating along the quiet water under a canopy of trees that arched over our heads like gigantic umbrellas. We saw fish ambling beneath us and snakes skittering to safety. We heard the tap tap tapping of woodpeckers and the screeching of owls. Mostly though it was silent down in that little secret paradise.

Sadly the county flood control district came without our knowledge and scarred the land and the creek in ways that made us cry. Instead of having a gently sloping access to the water there was now a drop off of several feet making it virtually impossible to launch our boat. Much of our land was taken under the guise of helping with flood problems. The deep cuts along the sides of the creek were ugly and many of the beautiful trees were gone as well. The abundance of wildlife was no more. Instead there lay a kind of unsightly shrine to the folly of humans. Our protests fell on deaf ears. It was what it was and had to be done according to government officials. To us it felt like an attack on something precious.

We enjoyed some of our best family memories at Bell Bottom both before the rape of the land and after. Every other November the grounds were littered with pecans. We brought boxes and sat on the grass meticulously moving through every square inch of the property and filling our containers with thousands of nuts filled with tasty meat. Sometimes it was quite cold as we harvested our bounty but we didn’t seem to mind because we knew what deliciousness lay in store.

In the warmer months we had to mow the lawn around the house. We purchased a small tractor from Sears and rode around and around trimming the greenery that seemed to grow even as we were cutting it. I became quite adept at guiding the mower around trees and over gullies and even down the steep slopes. It had been easier to drive the tractor before the “improvements” from the county but I soon enough learned the trick for staying away from the dangerous drop off near the water.

We took walks on summer days and played baseball in the yard. At night we built fires and sat in the glow of the burning embers. Sometimes we stayed up late playing board games or telling stories. I always slept like a log but my daughters tell me that they were often frightened by the tiny mice sneaking through the house after the lights had gone dark. Their imaginations overcame them but they didn’t want to admit to being a bit scared.

Eventually our girls were grown and Mike and I found that we were spending most of our free time after working all week just keeping things clean and repaired down at Bell Bottom. Ours was an incessant routine of working on the land and I for one began to understand why Mike’s aunt had so often expressed a lack of enthusiasm for being there. Somehow it just wasn’t as much fun as it had once been. After considering whether or not we might want to settle there after retirement we realized that we really didn’t want to be that far away from our family and friends on a permanent basis. The land that had once brought us so much was just one more bit of responsibility that was draining our energy. We reluctantly decided to sell it.

A great sadness still envelops me when I think of letting our beloved Bell Bottom go. I wonder if we were a bit too hasty in deciding to end our history there. Now that we are retired we have nothing but time and I suspect that we would have truly enjoyed bringing our grandchildren there. I especially think about the old place when the skies become a bit gray in November and the temperature drops just a bit. I wonder if the pecans have fallen to the ground and if the new owners are collecting them just as we once did.

Not long ago Mike and I drove by to see how things looked at Bell Bottom. We were happy to see that the people who bought the land had built a lovely home and had even dug a little lake. The lawn was beautifully manicured and it was apparent that the new landlords are quite proud of their little bit of heaven. I felt a bit better just seeing the love and care that was on display. Long ago Bell Bottom stole a corner of my heart that will remain on the land but my memories will always be mine.