There are some today who would like to subvert the Constitutional Requirement for voting with the Electoral College. Good winners and good losers are not much a part of our national character any more. I am amazed at the name-calling, the wishes against the duly elected President, and just the rancor.
I think we should listen to the words of Benjamin Franklin at the Constitutional Convention. Only apply it to ourselves in this situation. Here’s what he said:
“On the whole, Sir, I cannot help expressing a wish that every member of the convention (or American citizens, in this case) who may still have objections to it (the vote, in this case) would, with me, on this occasion doubt a little of his own infallibility and, to make manifest our unanimity, (or the outcome of the election, in this case) and put his name to the instrument (or accept the outcome).” As quoted in Founding Fathers—Uncommon Heroes, by Steven W. Allen, 2003, page 199.
Yes, our Founding Fathers had many troubles, scores of obstacles to overcome. Things that had never been thought about before, not to mention, done. But they went ahead and with the help of their faith, their fellow countrymen, and honorable leaders, they went ahead and did it!
After writing my blog post about our Vice President Elect, and how he was treated by the cast of Alexander in New York, I was sent an email from a friend that originated from Maureen Dowd. She wrote about extensive background on Mike Pence, our VP elect. It was really well written and eye opening. Until that sad evening, I had wanted to go see the Broadway play. No longer!
One thing that’s not been easy to do this pasts election campaign, is to show signs of respect. I’m thinking of one particular instance where one of the candidates was attending a Broadway show with his family. Some of the audience wasn’t too accepting of him being there.
Again that question about Thomas Jefferson’s relationship with Christ is raised. Was he really religious, and was he a Christian? As one of his last projects, Jefferson designed and built the University of Virginia at Charlottesville. He not only designed the buildings and the campus, he also designed the curriculum.
Can you imagine if James Monroe, the lieutenant in charge of the cannon with General George Washington’s troops that crossed the Delaware River in December 1776, hadn’t been rescued by a medic when he suffered life-threatening wounds in the Battle of Trenton? If he hadn’t survived to become the fifth President of the United States of America we wouldn’t have the Monroe Doctrine.
When things were getting rough in the Colonies, there were a few men who stood up for things they believed in. It started with Patrick Henry in his speech as he was first elected to the house of Burgesses. Thomas Jefferson, his friend, listened in at the door of the Capitol in Williamsburg, as Henry made his speech, from notes written in the flyleaf of Jefferson’s loaned book!