My grandfather was ingenious—he invented the mute button for the television. He attached one light cord to the back of the TV, and then another into a little button he made that would toggle the sound off and on. While I can’t confirm that this was the first mute button for a TV, it certainly was ingenious! It also made me a big fan of being able to turn off the sound on the many obnoxious commercials.
40 years later, I could not be more grateful for my grandfather (or whomever actually invented the mute button on my TV’s remote control). It seems as if almost every local commercial is a political ad. And regardless of the content, I find them absolutely abhorrent. It would seem that the only objective is to inflict what is often called ‘character assassination’ on the opponent. I find it extremely rare to find a presentation on what the supported candidate plans to do for the good of the country or for Minnesota.
My sense is that I am not alone in my election fatigue. And yet, it is absolutely critical that I do not allow my fatigue to move me to non-participation. While I can mute the political rhetoric, it is extremely important that I stay engaged in the process. Because I believe my participation is one of the ways that I live out Jesus’ commandment to love God, love neighbor, and love self. And it is one of the ways that I live into our Baptismal Covenant to strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being.
Please prayerfully stay engaged in the process—please vote!