I love the color red. To know me is to know this about me. In fact, no color makes me happier . I once put on my Christmas list “anything red.” True story.
And when it comes to my politics, I vote red – the redder, the better. In my politics, I am a Republican – specifically a pro-life, pro-religious liberty conservative. And this election, I would walk barefoot on cut glass to vote for Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and their administration and its policies. Well, I wish I could walk up to vote; I live in New Jersey, and my vote was delivered into a secure drop-box outside the town’s police station, Covid-style. My sons and I brought the puppy. But I digress.
Honestly, I’m not writing here to explain my reasons or to encourage you to vote as I did. (If you’re interested, my views are expressed perfectly by several prominent people, whose articles I’ve linked below. I endorse their views, and I stand proudly with these writers. But – seriously, that’s not what this post is about, and it’s completely fine with me if you don’t even read the articles.)
A lot of the people I know and love are also voting red. We enjoy talking about what we have in common, about our shared values, about the developments each day in this campaign. We have marched together, we walk this path together, we talk passionately about it all, and we care deeply about what ends up happening this Tuesday (or whatever day it is that we all know the results).
But not everyone in my world thinks red. Some think blue. Some have blue posts, blue signs, blue values, blue votes. Some are not praying with me that Trump and his team have another four years, that the GOP holds the Senate, that the Republicans flip the House. Some have an entirely different perspective, a blue perspective. And that has to be OK.
Recently, much was written about in the news regarding the extraordinary relationship between now-deceased Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Politically, they were polar opposites, and their written decisions reflect that. It’s hard to imagine two people having less in common. And yet, their friendship was a beautiful thing to watch, and so many wrote about how wonderful it was.
But then came the infamous Lindsey Graham/Dianne Feinstein hug at the close of the Senate hearing last week, and some commentators were far less gracious. Maybe because it was in the present, two living people, surrounding a hotly contested Supreme Court seat. (I know the arguments, and could explain, with bullet points, the positions of each side. I get it.) But many condemned this powerful moment and spoke against it. And in recent days, some have even gone so far as to say that people should cut off ties with those in their circles (even in their families) who disagree with them in this election season.
Of all the things said throughout these last months, I think that’s the worst. Get rid of friends who disagree with you? Stop communicating with family members over a vote? Make sure you only have people in your life who echo your own values?
In the words of one of the two main choices in this election, “Come on, man!”
Here’s why I feel so strongly about this. I don’t know when was the last time you stood in a cemetery, with a pile of dirt nearby and a gaping hole in the ground. And atop a green mat, a casket – with a loved one inside. If nothing else, it has the effect of riveting your attention on the most basic truths.
I stood in such a cemetery, just a couple of months ago. And I had stood for hours that day and the day before, receiving well wishes, words of comfort, and expressions of prayer from many people – in person, and afterwards through cards and gifts.
And I can tell you – not once did the subject of politics come up. It’s not that this all doesn’t matter. It does. It matters a great deal, and whether you vote red or blue, you probably can express those views very eloquently, that this is the most important election of our lifetime. I feel that way.
But when death is in front of you, and eternity becomes a part of your every day conversation, you don’t evaluate your friends and family by the little circles they filled in on their ballot (or the lever they pulled, if in fact they get to pull a lever). Comfort came to me as a beautiful gift whether each person was Democrat or Republican, whether they loved Trump or hated him, whether they were red or blue.
Here’s what I’m trying to say.
If you’re like me, and you see things the way I do, vote red. Vote as red as you can. And if you’re not, and you have blue ideas, vote blue. Stand for your values and vote for your causes.
But live purple. Live with the understanding that relationships matter, that your friends and family are yours for a reason, and that as Americans (and if you’re like me, then as a Christian), we have countless examples of people who found the way to live in peace.
It might mean honest conversations, or even a debate. It might mean agreeing to joke good-naturedly about it. It might even mean avoiding the topic entirely. I mean, seriously, it could really be a healthy thing to talk about something else, you know?
Vote red. Vote blue, if that’s your view. But live purple. It just might make more of a difference than you think.
(Articles to consider - or not. Truly. Vote red - or blue. But live purple.)
https://albertmohler.com/2020/10/26/christians-conscience-and-the-looming-2020-election
https://flashtrafficblog.epicentermedia.net/2020/10/30/i-used-to-be-a-never-trumper-not-anymore-20-reasons-i-strongly-support-the-presidents-re-election/
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/a-response-to-my-friend-john-piper-about-voting-for-trump.html
https://www.facebook.com/michael.farris.374/posts/3347711325326536
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/excuse-me-john-piper-but-pride-doesnt-kill-babies.html
And when it comes to my politics, I vote red – the redder, the better. In my politics, I am a Republican – specifically a pro-life, pro-religious liberty conservative. And this election, I would walk barefoot on cut glass to vote for Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and their administration and its policies. Well, I wish I could walk up to vote; I live in New Jersey, and my vote was delivered into a secure drop-box outside the town’s police station, Covid-style. My sons and I brought the puppy. But I digress.
Honestly, I’m not writing here to explain my reasons or to encourage you to vote as I did. (If you’re interested, my views are expressed perfectly by several prominent people, whose articles I’ve linked below. I endorse their views, and I stand proudly with these writers. But – seriously, that’s not what this post is about, and it’s completely fine with me if you don’t even read the articles.)
A lot of the people I know and love are also voting red. We enjoy talking about what we have in common, about our shared values, about the developments each day in this campaign. We have marched together, we walk this path together, we talk passionately about it all, and we care deeply about what ends up happening this Tuesday (or whatever day it is that we all know the results).
But not everyone in my world thinks red. Some think blue. Some have blue posts, blue signs, blue values, blue votes. Some are not praying with me that Trump and his team have another four years, that the GOP holds the Senate, that the Republicans flip the House. Some have an entirely different perspective, a blue perspective. And that has to be OK.
Recently, much was written about in the news regarding the extraordinary relationship between now-deceased Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsberg. Politically, they were polar opposites, and their written decisions reflect that. It’s hard to imagine two people having less in common. And yet, their friendship was a beautiful thing to watch, and so many wrote about how wonderful it was.
But then came the infamous Lindsey Graham/Dianne Feinstein hug at the close of the Senate hearing last week, and some commentators were far less gracious. Maybe because it was in the present, two living people, surrounding a hotly contested Supreme Court seat. (I know the arguments, and could explain, with bullet points, the positions of each side. I get it.) But many condemned this powerful moment and spoke against it. And in recent days, some have even gone so far as to say that people should cut off ties with those in their circles (even in their families) who disagree with them in this election season.
Of all the things said throughout these last months, I think that’s the worst. Get rid of friends who disagree with you? Stop communicating with family members over a vote? Make sure you only have people in your life who echo your own values?
In the words of one of the two main choices in this election, “Come on, man!”
Here’s why I feel so strongly about this. I don’t know when was the last time you stood in a cemetery, with a pile of dirt nearby and a gaping hole in the ground. And atop a green mat, a casket – with a loved one inside. If nothing else, it has the effect of riveting your attention on the most basic truths.
I stood in such a cemetery, just a couple of months ago. And I had stood for hours that day and the day before, receiving well wishes, words of comfort, and expressions of prayer from many people – in person, and afterwards through cards and gifts.
And I can tell you – not once did the subject of politics come up. It’s not that this all doesn’t matter. It does. It matters a great deal, and whether you vote red or blue, you probably can express those views very eloquently, that this is the most important election of our lifetime. I feel that way.
But when death is in front of you, and eternity becomes a part of your every day conversation, you don’t evaluate your friends and family by the little circles they filled in on their ballot (or the lever they pulled, if in fact they get to pull a lever). Comfort came to me as a beautiful gift whether each person was Democrat or Republican, whether they loved Trump or hated him, whether they were red or blue.
Here’s what I’m trying to say.
If you’re like me, and you see things the way I do, vote red. Vote as red as you can. And if you’re not, and you have blue ideas, vote blue. Stand for your values and vote for your causes.
But live purple. Live with the understanding that relationships matter, that your friends and family are yours for a reason, and that as Americans (and if you’re like me, then as a Christian), we have countless examples of people who found the way to live in peace.
It might mean honest conversations, or even a debate. It might mean agreeing to joke good-naturedly about it. It might even mean avoiding the topic entirely. I mean, seriously, it could really be a healthy thing to talk about something else, you know?
Vote red. Vote blue, if that’s your view. But live purple. It just might make more of a difference than you think.
(Articles to consider - or not. Truly. Vote red - or blue. But live purple.)
https://albertmohler.com/2020/10/26/christians-conscience-and-the-looming-2020-election
https://flashtrafficblog.epicentermedia.net/2020/10/30/i-used-to-be-a-never-trumper-not-anymore-20-reasons-i-strongly-support-the-presidents-re-election/
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/a-response-to-my-friend-john-piper-about-voting-for-trump.html
https://www.facebook.com/michael.farris.374/posts/3347711325326536
https://www.christianpost.com/voices/excuse-me-john-piper-but-pride-doesnt-kill-babies.html
