Character Matters

I’m a white woman who was born and bred in the state of Georgia. I am married to the man I met and started dating when I was 16. We have three boys. I went to a state college and then an MBA program while working hard to grow my career all while growing my family. I have worked in the corporate world, nonprofit sector, and now am self-employed as well as full time family CEO.

The vast majority of my extended and in-law family live in the Deep South. I am blessed to be from a very good family. We are kind people with roots in our nations founding history. I am so proud to be from a loving family that holds faith and education to be of critical cornerstones of a healthy family and country.

I have not always been politically engaged during the important elections of my lifetime. Embarrassingly there was a time when I didn’t even vote. There was a time I was shamefully on the wrong side of history. There was a time when I voted red down ballot without thought, understanding of issues or clarifications of candidate platforms.

At one not so distant point I considered myself a Republican. I believed that that party would put forth the best policies and candidates and didn’t much research to try confirm or deny that. It’s just how many people who looked like me and came where I came from voted and I went along without much fervor one way or the other.

Let me explain why the GOP is becoming a distant and unfavorable option as to the political platform I can continue to stand along with. Also allow me to ask some hard pressed questions.

Division. Never more glaringly than today, in my opinion, has human equal rights become a divisive political line. Either you believe that all people – regardless of gender, religion, race, sexual orientation or identity are equal or you do not. This is a hard line that can no longer be diverted to religiosity or be passively dismissed. There is a point where the silence becomes deafening. Condemn hateful people and protect the innocent. Address systemic institutional rot that leads to unnecessary killing. Uphold laws that protect the equal rights of all citizens under the constitution. The GOP is failing at convincing me in any way that they are in the business of protecting anyone other than Wall Street, the white elite or the good ole’ boys of yesteryear. Please convince me otherwise. I am all ears.

I believe in math and science. My heroes growing up were doctors, scientists and astronauts. My favorite study in school was statistics. My biggest career accomplishment was related to modeling profitability results based on actual data. Math doesn’t lie. Science and the progression of knowledge saves lives and will save our planet. Time and backwards reflection will very well prove or disprove theories but you cannot deny facts. The GOP is not currently characterized by their intelligence or acknowledgement of reality. At a time when we have more knowledge at our fingertips than ever those party leaders are rejecting the experts in their fields to help make critical life and death decisions. Why?

I love our country and our world. The basis of our constitution is human equality and protection of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness. Democracy means everyone has a voice and a vote. Our children need us more than ever to make tough decisions to ensure their children have a world left when we are gone. GOP – what exactly is your platform and why should the people who have a say vote for you? Is it one person? Is it a clearly defined set of policy and effort backed by facts, character and true value systems? If the latter, what actually is that?

I am raising the next generation. I am raising my young sons very closely aligned with how I was raised. With honor, integrity, and character along with Jesus’ teachings at the core center. Above pretty much anything else I identify with or use to make decisions everyday is the fact that I am a mom. Responsible for the little eyes and ears always looking and hearing who will one day become great citizens of the America I love. GOP – am I seriously to back candidates that I can’t even show speaking to my young sons for fear of how they may be emboldened to behave?

I was myself taught not to lie. To do the right thing – not only in front of others or as part of an image but when no one is watching. My very identity is tightly intertwined with my core values and beliefs. I was taught to forgive people who hurt me, to speak up for what’s right, to stand up against bullies, to lift up others and to put others before myself. Those are the Christian values I hold dear and expect to see in my elected officials.

Here is the ultimate kicker. One that if you look at white, evangelical bases and how they typically vote, may confuse you, but why it makes the most difference to me. I am a Jesus follower. I read the Bible, pray, and praise both privately and in community and simply seek to understand what Jesus’ message was to us. In my personal journey what I’ve discovered is that there is one true message and commandment of Jesus. Love others above yourself.

The GOP doesn’t utilize facts, character or true value systems to persuade their constituents to back ideas, policy, courses of action or candidates. They use fear. The GOP is arguing that fear should rule our decision making process when it comes to how we vote. Fear of our individual liberties being taken from us. Fear that our traditional family values will disappear. Fear of socialism running rampant. Fear that our bank accounts are going to dwindle to nothing.

When I look around in the midst of 2020 here’s where I land. I’m a woman with preexisting conditions in a global pandemic. I’m a mom desperately trying to teach my kids character while a President refuses to gracefully commence his loss and continues to undermine our basic fundamentals of democracy. I am a Jesus follower trying to fulfill his commandment to love others more than myself when as a nation we are divided more than ever.

Two nights ago I sat in stark shock watching Donald Trump lie his way through a statement to America during the counting of votes – a full day after claiming victory when he was up in the count – he was calling fraud on the turning of the tide of the results of our election. He claimed without evidence or legitimate court filings that people were cheating and breaking the law so that he would lose. It’s not as if I didn’t anticipate it happening. I did. That doesn’t mean in that moment it didn’t completely break my heart.

My son looked at me in confusion and asked one word.

“Mom?”

Even as I fumbled through an explanation I knew what hung in the balance if my 10 year old truly didn’t trust our democratic institutions. I hated to imagine him sewing seeds of doubt for the credibility of our humanity. I couldn’t stand the thought of him wondering if being a decent and trustworthy person even mattered. I sobbed myself to sleep and prayed all night long.

Tonight that same son sat with me watching another incredible, yet hopeful moment in history. A story of a man running for the presidency in one way or another for 30+ plus years amidst tragedy after personal tragedy. Finally able to claim victory with his main goal to heal the soul of a nation. To encourage us to look at one another in the eyes and listen to one another again. Bringing with him the first woman and woman of color to the White House. We sat together tonight holding hands and the tears flowed.

Relief.

Hope.

Character matters.