I voted today in my 10th Presidential election. I wanted to vote in 1972 but was too young so I opted to campaign among family, friends and neighbors for Richard Nixon. Yes, in 1972, I was enthralled with the incumbent President. Remember, the word "Watergate" was not yet a household name. By the time 1976 rolled around I was now a college student. I registered to vote as soon as I could and campaigned as hard as I could for President Gerald Ford. I thought he was a dignified human being who tried his best to save a country after the Nixon/Watergate disaster. My first time voting for President, I came up short.
Over the years I have gone from fanatically involved to not so much. With this being my 10th election and the first since being an ordained Catholic Permanent Deacon, I both worked to discuss church teaching, as it came up in the context of the election, and to supress sharing out loud my personal choice in this election. In this Archdiocese, clergy are asked to refrain from publicly endorsing or campaigning for anyone. So I obey. If you know me well, you could probably figure out my vote.
As I left the voting booth I truly counted on my hand to confirm that this was Presidential election #10 for me. Man, I am too young to be able to declare 10 elections behind me. After all, 10 Presidential elections = 40 years; well, kind of!
Tonight, as I left my office for the 25 minute drive home along rural St. Tammany highway 41, which connects Pearl River, La to a community called Bush, La(not making this up), I was touched by the sight of people still lined up at two small polling locations. With nightfall coming quickly this week, it was quite the sight as people made it a priority to vote before heading home to end the day. Those sights, coupled with my feeling as I voted, helped me to focus on the beauty of this great nation and the privilege of voting. I thought about all that it takes to be able to vote and all those who fought and died to keep me free to be able to vote.
At this hour, I truly have no idea who will win this election. Whatever happens tonight, barring a repeat of 2000, we will all wake up in the morning, a President will be declared, a Senate and House will be reshaped, and not a single shot will have been fired and a political coup will not have taken place. At this point, a victory by Romney will be considered a bit of a political upset and an Obama victory will serve to remind all just how hard it is for an incumbent to mess up. Remember, in the past 70-80 years incumbents Jimmy Carter and George Bush the elder are the only to sitting Presidents to be thrown out.
Earlier today I wrote on Facebook that I voted for life, I voted for liberty and I voted informed by my faith! Unlike others, I will never divorce my faith from my vote, from my politics, from my career, from my anything. Those who declare they leave their faith at home when they enter the marketplace of ideas, commerce, recreation and yes, politics, may need to examine just how important faith is to who they are. Without my faith, I am nothing. I should never shy away from it even when I vote!
However this goes tonight or in the days ahead, may we all pray for an outpouring of grace on our country from a God who loves us and may we, Americans, bless God!
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