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On Tuesday, our "better angels" will help voters cast their ballots for the vice president, writes John Casey.
Perhaps my favorite president is Abraham Lincoln, and I’m not in the minority. Lincoln is always ranked at or near number 1. The nonpartisanYouGov.com keeps a running tally, and Lincoln is always at the top.
There are many reasons why he’s my favorite, but one thing stands out about him. Lincoln poured his heart, his soul, and every fiber of his being to keep the United States of America just that: united. When you look atpictures of Lincoln at the time he was sworn in to the presidency in 1861 and before he died in 1865, it’s glaringly obvious how much he aged during his years in office.
I can only imagine how much Lincoln would have aged in this day and age. Actually, we don’t have to imagine. It’s plain to see how much of a toll the presidency has taken on President Joe Biden. Yes, his advanced years might have something to do with it, but more likely it’s the tremendous strain of the job — and trying to keep our frayed country stitched together.
It’s fair to say that this country hasn’t been this divided since Lincoln’s presidency and the Civil War. And it hurts. Badly.
Years ago, I recall reading President Lincoln’s first inaugural address ,where he talked about “the better angels of our natiure.”
As a journalist, I’m lucky to have been able to talk to scores of people about this election: elected officials, pollsters, strategists, donors, and other journalists. I’m an outlier because I am consumed with data and analysis about who might win and how.
I think Vice President Kamala Harris will win tomorrow. And while I can cite polling, margin of error, battleground and sun belt states, men versus women, etc., etc., etc. I am weary and suspect of all that at this point. So it’s down to sentiment and feelings. And my gut, which tells me that Lincoln’s better angels will prevail.
These last few days before the election have been blown up by the evil (yesterday he called Democrats “demonic”) rhetoric coming from the campaign and mouth of former President Donald Trump. “A floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean.” “Whether they like it or not.” “When the guns are trained on her face.” “Shooting through the media.”
Truthfully, those have been his message all along. The antithesis of Abraham Lincoln, Trump brings out Americans' devil incarnate, not our better angel.
I keep asking myself the same questions: How can Americans support someone whose intentions are to hurt, bully, and divide? Surely, inevitably, assuredly, Americans must recognize the choice in front of them. They must see that we are better angels.
At the time of his first inaugural address, Lincoln was addressing a nation on the brink of division. He had wise and prophetic things to say to Americans that ring true today: “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”
These words, spoken in 1861, feel strikingly relevant in 2024. Americans have always had political differences, but today those disagreements often devolve into personal attacks and even violence. The proud tradition of open and spirited debate — a cornerstone of our democracy — has spiraled into something far more destructive.
And while I’m trying not to cast blame, there is one singular person responsible for this destruction, and belittling our better angels.
If there was a pitchfork moment during the final days of campaigning, it was at Madison Square Garden last week. Speaker after speaker, culminating in the devil in chief, railed against our better angels. Do the invective words of last week represent who we really are? Do they nullify our better angels?
Lincoln’s call to respect our neighbors, even in times of profound division, offers a path forward that we need to rediscover. And we can only do that if we elect Harris. Horns versus a halo.
The 2024 elections have amplified the breakdown of civil discourse, and social media algorithms have only intensified the issue, creating echo chambers that reward the most outrageous voices and fuel anger. I felt it this year more than ever before in my 60 years, and I felt that personally.
In June, I wrote about my best friend of 40 years, who attacked our community with despicable language and tropes in a torrid of text messages that he sent to me. He was provided a permission structure from the racist, xenophobic, transphobic, homophobic, and misogynist expletive language that emanates from the top of the GOP ticket and permeates downward.
And even there, expletives have become almost an accepted part of the GOP lexicon and the mainspring of Trump’s vocabulary. Remember when people were aghast at the language they heard from Richard Nixon’s secret tapes? The MAGA headliner and his crowds revel in his profanity.
There’s just so much wrong with what has now become acceptable in political discourse that has caused even the most casual observers to feel caustic. I believe that’s why when Biden graciously stepped aside and endorsed Harris, enthusiasm roared, not so much for Harris, but for the elevation of optimism and decency.
In other words, our better angels were allowed to spread their wings and fly.
Lincoln’s words urged Americans to look within and find the qualities of compassion, empathy, and respect that could bind us together, even in the face of sharp disagreements. That’s truly what Harris represents.
When we vote for Harris, with her mindset of empathy, curiosity, and inclusion, we also embrace humility. All the antithesis of Trump, and all attributes that should not be associated with a country that radiates “a thousand points of light,” as President George H.W. Bush described. Bush’s aspirational words and humility are a thing of the past in today’s Republican Party.
Lincoln once said, “I do not think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.” A little humility can go a long way toward restoring civility to our discourse — and that’s also what Harris represents, that she will be the president for all Americans.
As Lincoln reminded us, “Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out.” I believe that at our core, Americans are kind. My hope is that kindness will be on full display across the country on Tuesday.
My hope is that as America votes, our better angels will be standing on our shoulders, whispering in our ears, telling us to be kind.
Voices is dedicated to featuring a wide range of inspiring personal stories and impactful opinions from the LGBTQ+ and Allied community. Visit pride.com/submit to learn more about submission guidelines. We welcome your thoughts and feedback on any of our stories. Email us at [email protected]. Views expressed in Voices stories are those of the guest writers, columnists and editors, and do not directly represent the views of The Advocate or our parent company, equalpride.
