I go to a lot of meetings. Some are general membership meetings, some are smaller committees, but all are run democratically using the one person one vote rule. I find that many at these meeting don't agree with or even understand that in democracies the majority gets their way and the minority just has to try again later.
Instead of deciding to try again with better organizing or better candidates some resort to anger and intimidation. Don't get me wrong, I don't think strong emotion should be absent from politics, I'd just like the minority to remember that democracy is a decision making tool. That tool is there to keep decision making a civilized endeavor. Strong emotion may be needed to persuade people to vote your way, but it's never appropriate as a tool to punish those who voted against you.
There are a number of Americans who think we are headed for a dictatorship or descending into anarchy. I don't think so, but if we don't honor the act of voting by recognizing the duties of winners and losers, we could end up there. Elections and those we elect come and go, but if we ignore the process, we may find ourselves dictated to.
Election day in the State of Washington is Tuesday August 5th. Please get your ballot in - we all need your vote.
