My husband, Dan Finnerty, and I are absolute history nerds. When we are not watching documentaries together most evenings, we are reading history books and magazines and planning history-focused excursions near and far.
So, the election process, which is now over (and I’m personally thankful), has sparked many conversations between us pertaining to our country’s election history, especially after we listen together to an entertaining and informative podcast called “American Elections: Wicked Game,” which delves into the good, bad, and ugly of our nation’s election history.
While we tend to think this election cycle has been the most contentious and surprising in America’s history, much has occurred during every previous election to astound constituents. The idiosyncrasies occurring during long races to the White House’s top position have resulted in memorable slogans, headlines, tragedies, triumphs, and cultural shifts.
And, each race is unpredictable. Future generations of students will undoubtably view the photograph of Donald Trump, face bloody and fist in the air, or read about his Make America Great Again campaign. They will learn about the unusual circumstances that led to President Joe Biden stepping aside late in the campaign to allow his vice president, Kamala Harris, to run in his place.
Despite the national rancor that went along with this election, our enclave of Macon County exhibited – as far as I can tell – civility indicative of a close community. Here we have enjoyed a true spirit of American patriotism, courtesy and friendliness at the polls, and an enthusiasm for the privilege of voting in a free country.
I have always loved this community, but I have especially appreciated it in recent weeks. No matter who is leading the United States come January 20, 2025, I pray that Macon County will demonstrate to this generation and generations to come respect and gratitude for one another that would make the founding fathers’ proud of the system they established.