kindergarten manners

Today is election day, I have my 'nasty woman' tee-shirt ready to wear for result-watching tonight, and though I'm not suspicious, I don't dare not wear it.  And  also on my mind is what we've been through for the past eighteen months, especially the nastiness, hate and disrespect I've heard mostly from Trump but also once from Hillary ("basket of deplorables"). 

This country hasn't come off well in this election season, something I suppose you could say about most election seasons. This one, though, is different than any other, most experts I've heard agree. For myself, I do not understand, will never understand, why people think it's OK to speak mockingly and hatefully of people who seem different.

Didn't we all learn better than that in kindergarten?

Good teachers of young children know that to keep an atmosphere conducive to learning and growth, you establish cooperation and respect in your classroom. You corral the kids' wilder, childish and unguarded impulses into manners that make space for development of personalities and minds into future citizens. You nurture each one as an individual while reining in and retraining behaviors rooted in unreasoning fear of what's different or unexpected.

Maybe what this country needs is some good kindergarten teachers scattered throughout the halls of power and election teams.

Final word this election day: let's all go vote.