We Are in This Together

So, today is Election Day. I heard one commentator say that it's like you're in the waiting room after an operation, hoping the patient is still alive. I am sure Americans today feel exhausted, having lived through the accusations, the charges, the inflammatory, ugly rhetoric and hate talk. Added to this are all the talking heads, pundits, and surrogates trying to spin the truth in their direction. 24-hour cable news is not always a friend. I might also add that the animosity, the anger, and the vulgarity we have experienced is a new high - or should I say low?All of this overshadows what today means to all of us. Today is the greatest example of freedom. Yes, as I went to the polls this morning and looked around, I saw lots of people, men and women, tall and short, thin and plump, black, white, and Latino. It made me realize what a wonderful country I live in and what a privilege it is to vote for your leadership. This is not happening in Syria, it's not happening in North Korea, Saudi Arabia, and, one might argue, Russia and China.So, when people complain about this country and democracy, I'd like to tell them to think twice because we are part of a very unique experiment that began in 1776 and gives each of us a heritage of freedom to be proud of. It also gives us an opportunity to make it better and more equal for everyone. It's not America, love it or leave it. It's an America that includes everyone and that gives everyone a chance to participate and make it a better place, not only for the rich but for the poor, not only for the young but for the old. We are in this together to build a better country.    MEH