It's Almost Over, Folks

by Jewel Leann Williams

This (Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad) election cycle is almost over. It does not need to be said that the country, nay the world, is ready for it to be over. Our collective sanity and IQ's have all gone down at least 10 percent.

Most of us have had some button pushed at one time or another during the past year, and we've maybe said some things that we shouldn't have. Been a little more contentious than we should have, or less patient, or a little judgey.  It has been a LONG campaign. Check this paragraph from a New York Time article about the length of our election cycle when compared with the rest of the world:

So, where does voter fatigue come from, and why does it seem to be getting worse? One part of the problem is that our election season is simply too long. The United States has the longest head-of-state campaign season by a long shot. Senator Ted Cruz, the first serious candidate to announce he was running, announced on March 23, 2015. That means that, by Election Day, the campaign will have gone on for 597 days. In the span with which we’ve been paying attention to the same presidential campaign, we could have instead hosted approximately four Mexican elections, seven Canadian elections, 14 British elections, 14 Australian elections or 41 French elections.  (Roller, Emma for http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/06/opinion/campaign-stops/yes-it-does-feel-like-this-election-is-never-ending.html)

597 DAYS. Wow. No wonder we're all tired and cranky.
Here's another interesting article about how our elections compare with several other countries:

https://mic.com/articles/118598/7-facts-from-the-around-the-world-show-how-absurd-america-s-elections-really-are#.srJMnXl1U

Another reason we are so fatigued and downright belligerent about this election (aside from the candidates, but I'm not going there) is the negativity in the campaign. Somehow we've let the attack-dog atmosphere influence our interactions with strangers, friends, and even family, and turned us all into rabid zombie tribes tearing out each others' throats.

But this campaign season isn't the meanest or dirtiest ever... well, maybe it is... but for a little historical perspective, let's review some of the things other candidates have said in their attacks in the past:

• Republicans told everyone that the Catholic Smith had commissioned a secret tunnel 3,500 miles long, from the Holland Tunnel to the Vatican in Rome, and that the Pope would have say in all presidential matters should Smith be elected  (Herbert Hoover about Al Smith, 1928)
• "Are you prepared to see your dwellings in flames... female chastity violated... children writhing on the pike? GREAT GOD OF COMPASSION AND JUSTICE, SHIELD MY COUNTRY FROM DESTRUCTION."  (John Adams, about Thomas Jefferson, 1800)
•  Jackson's people said that Adams had sold his wife's maid as a concubine to the czar of Russia. (Andrew Jackson, about John Quincy Adams, 1828)
• Adams supporters attack Jackson's family, calling his dead mother "a common prostitute, brought to this country by the British soldiers," after whose service she "married a MULATTO MAN, with whom she had several children of which number General JACKSON IS ONE!!!" Jackson's wife, who was previously married and (accidentally) not completely divorced prior to her second marriage, they call a "convicted adulteress." When she dies within days of Jackson's victory, he blames Adams' vicious campaign practices, exclaiming at her funeral, "May God Almighty forgive her murderers as I know she forgave them. I never can." (John Quincy Adams about Andrew Jackson, 1828)

I know, just because everyone else is doing it doesn't make it right. But, this isn't a unique election, mudslinging has always been around. 

I know, I know. It's all so depressing. In an effort to remind us all that America is the greatest nation in the world, here are some Canadians telling us why they love us: 

And lastly, a beautiful rendition of a patriotic song and prayer, God Bless America: 

Hopefully that was a little bit of a tonic for the giant stomachache of the past 594-ish days, or at least a reprieve. 

Please remember, God is still in charge--if we are righteous, we will all be okay in the end. 

Happy Independence Day!! Thoughts on Patriotism

Happy Independence Day, everyone!

Today is the day we officially celebrate the Declaration of Independence. A little-known fact is that the date is not when the document was written, or signed, or voted on, or presented to King George.  It's quite simply the date that was written on the draft that was approved by the Continental Congress, after all the edits they had debated over and agreed upon had been made. That doesn't make it any less important to celebrate any more than the history of why we use December 25 to celebrate Christ's birthday makes THAT celebration any less important.

Teensy bit more trivia: did you know that both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on July 4, 1826? James Monroe died on a 4th of July as well, and Calvin Coolidge was born on the Glorious Fourth. Just cool stuff. No bearing on anything, really.

The reason I was tooling around on the net to find these little tidbits, was because I was looking for someplace non-partisan to find a copy of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. I've been thinking for a long time that I need to study these documents more. I need to teach them to my children.

What does it mean to be a patriot? Does it mean that we wave the flag and jump to defend the honor of everything the United States does? Do we give a black eye to anyone who dares imply that the country may have done wrong in any epoch of its history (including modern day)? Are critics un-patriotic?

Well, in a word, no. None of those things are actual patriotism.

Patriotism, American Patriotism at least is a dedication to the ideals upon which our nation was founded. Some of those ideals are actually revolutionary to this day. The thought that we can completely and utterly disagree with our government, established by the Founding Fathers, and still call ourselves lovers of the country they created, seems absolutely revolutionary. But here it is, from the Declaration of Independence:


“Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, -- That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” –Thomas Jefferson, the Declaration of Independence

So, the love of our country and our fellow citizen serves as the impetus for change. Our love for free-thinking, for individual freedom, means that we debate--hotly--our own positions and beliefs about what the government should be doing, controlling, overseeing, or not. To debate IS patriotic, if the purpose is to better the country and the status of its citizens.

But in order to intelligently debate, decide, vote, and act, we must know the principles to which we are dedicated. I learned all about the Constitution when I was in high school. At Brigham Young University, we had to take an American Heritage class--a combination of civics and history that was pretty intensive--it even had a LAB. But, it's been (REDACTED) years since then and most of what I've learned has faded from my mind. So, I am dedicating myself to getting reacquainted with the Constitution. I want to be able to contribute meaningfully to not just the national debate, but to affecting change in my community, my state, my country.

There are MANY sites that offer downloads or even books of the Constitution in different formats. There are online classes that can be taken. Like I said, I don't want to be partisan in this post, so I was looking for something without political leanings one way or the other in order to provide a resource for you if YOU would like to take a gander/refresher on our Constitution. I found the following website and read a lot of "we will not take sides" from different pages, as well as many different documents and offerings for educational opportunities. Here's the site: http://billofrightsinstitute.org/founding-documents/

No matter what side of any debate you're on, whatever your political leanings, there's no denying that our country is in trouble. It's being ruined by (insert politically opposite point-of-view-holder here) and it's up to each of us to halt its rapid decline.

Part of patriotism is being educated as to what ideals you are being loyal to.

One last quote:

Let's show our patriotism by giving ourselves the tools to do the job at hand.

God Bless America.  (I really mean that, I'm not just being patriotic)

What does PATRIOTISM mean to you?

Random Thoughts for this Week....

First, an apology.  I just started a new job, and it is beating me up. Quite the adjustment period. I haven't had the brain energy to think of something amazing for everyone, but I have had a few thoughts. I'll share them, and you can discuss amongst yourselves....

1) A couple of weeks ago, I posted a post about the Ordain Women controversy..... at www.jewelleannwilliams.com.  My WHOLE point is that whatever the points of view, are, none of those things are so important as to negate the LOVE that we, as sisters, should have for each other. I was amazed that even when that was the theme of my post, half of the responses I got were STILL the backbiting, "good riddance" type-- People, in the words of the most awesome President Dieter Uchtdorf, STOP IT!  Love, love, love, love, love love love--that's our job.

2) Happy Independence Day!!  My thought is that I love my country. Most of us do. The real question is, am I, are each of us, willing to do whatever it takes to protect our country? I don't mean soldiering, although our military are heroes and angels for the rest of us. What I mean is getting involved on a local and a visceral, invested level with our government--speaking out when things happen that we don't agree with--voting--campaigning for honest, capable candidates--all of those things that are going to make or break our system of government. It's something I need to work on more, and I invite all of you to look at your involvement and do what you can.

3)Writing and Positivity:  Positive thinking is so important. With regards to writing, I need to be thinking more positively, and spending less time whining and complaining. "I can't get a contract," becomes exactly that. "I haven't gotten a contract yet, BUT I WILL!" puts a different spin on things. I don't have the research to cite, but I know for a fact that your brain chemistry changes when you feed it negative vs. positive thoughts--and there's a positive spin to be put on everything. So, something else for me to work on.

I have lots more--but I'll leave you with that. Putting a positive spin on it, I WILL get used to working outside of the home and my brain will kick into gear to bring you more amazing material, on writing articles for magazines, on writing in general, or.... something else completely different.

Happy Writing!!