America’s Decision 2020; And The Winner Is: Fidelity To Truth, Not Skin Color or Fear of The Other Side

The 2020 USA Presidential election is undoubtedly, one of the most consequential elections in the history of the nation. After sifting through the spins different constituencies and commentators are putting on this seminal event to persuade or dissuade voters, seven “Truths” will determine the outcome. Victory will belong to the candidate who demonstrates de facto fidelity to these truths.

Yes, “Truth” actually matters and there are absolute truths.

1. For the nation to get back to “normal way of life”, significant mitigation of the spread of this deadly Coronavirus must occur. 90% to 95% of Americans must wear mask outdoors, social distance and wash their hands frequently.
2. The 7.95 million infections and 217,000 deaths from SARS-CoV-2 are real, mostly preventable and by and large, they are due to a bungled response at the national level.
3. The most expensive and most sophisticated healthcare system in the world is profoundly inefficient, inequitable, seriously underperforming and needs significant non-ideological retooling.
4. Exponents of fear of the other side, “Beware”. Stoking people’s fears grounded in disinformation can only go so far. Indeed it may come back to hunt and bite you.

Over emphasis on skin color and gazing away from the demon — injustice — may backfire and turn off independent, beyond skin color “thinking” voters in critical battle ground states.

6. The non-acknowledgement of engrained bias and stereotyping of African Americans and other minorities as less than human are inimical to the healing of the deep social divide in the nation.

7. Climate change is real and it is destroying our eco-systems. Exponents of denial of the pivotal role of science in humanity’s living experience put not only the nation’s health in peril, but its economic security as well.

Why the emphasis on “Truth”, the reader may ask?

Because “Truth” is one of the few pivotal absolutes in this consequential November 3, 2020 event in the USA.

Full disclosure; I do not bear the stamp of so-called liberal or conservative. I am a registered, politically fierce independent.

Although the USA is not a theocracy, one of the four cornerstones that gave birth to this nation is the Judeo-Christian tradition and its foundational moral order. This is well articulated in the book, The Roots of American Order by the late distinguished scholar, philosopher and historian, Russell Kirk. This cornerstone inspires its adherents to embrace fidelity to the truth and eschew disinformation.

As the world prepares to adjust to ‎The Next Normal post COVID-19, it is crucial for each society to have leaders with the vision and humility to appreciate and accept the new existential reality.

The impediments to the acceptance of this reality are predictable — rigid ideologies, lust for power at all costs, oversized egos and unwillingness to learn and listen.

The hope is that if COVID-19 pandemic has taught mankind one thing, it is the fact that we are not as invincible as we think we are. Indeed, the “least” of creation, the invisible microbes can bring “mighty” mankind to its knees.