Douglas J. Early

It might be Wednesday. It might be some time in January after a Supreme Court decision. But at some point, relatively soon, as daylight breaks across the continent from east to west, millions of Americans are going to wake up deliriously happy at the same time that millions of Americans wake up utterly demoralized, weighted under a dark foreboding – no matter who wins the presidential election. The level of animosity and fear has run too high for too long to result in anything less than a feeling of utter relief for those whose “side” wins and utter discouragement for those whose “side” loses.

So let me say this now, before the result is known: no matter who wins, they will not be the answer to what ails our country. No matter who wins!

On whatever morning we wake and finally know the outcome, as daylight breaks across the continent from east to west, we will need to get out of bed and get to work. Get to work repairing the damage done over the past year and a half of name-calling, lying and fear-mongering. Get to work repairing the damage done over the past four centuries since the first white people stepped on this land and started taking whatever they wanted, using whatever means deemed necessary, including slaves and guns. Our problems run the gamut from surface to systemic and they won’t be fixed by any lone party. They can’t be fixed by any lone party.

There’s enough blame to spread around that no one should feel too smug. But, as a white male I will own up to the truth that my “fair share” is greater than most. The shares that being white and male lavished on me and my kind for centuries, just because of the shade of our skin and our anatomy, has been far greater than most, obscenely so; therefore, the share of responsibility owed by me and my kind, because of the shade of our skin and our anatomy, is also far greater than most – “To whom much has been given, much will be required.” No matter what the outcome of the election, I know I have a lot of work to do and a lot to learn about how to do it.

But there is work to be done by us all. No matter what the outcome of the election, nothing will be “over” or “done.” It might be Wednesday. It might be some time in January after a Supreme Court decision. But some time, relatively soon, as daylight breaks across the continent from east to west, all Americans will wake with work to do.