SPECTRUM: The real battlefield of American politics

In three days, Americans across the country will breathe a huge collective breath of relief as we are let out of the prison brig of this presidential election season.

The real reason why, however, will not be because of that quaint relationship to what we call democracy at work. It will be, indeed, because of who will win.

Back in January, I dreamt of 2016 being a wildly stormy year. Literally. It was a premonition in my mind. I could never imagine it as it unfolded, the riots on the streets, the murder of policemen, the terrorist attacks on our soil, the rag-tossed political loyalties, the dance of two wipe-out candidates, and the wrangling of our identity as a nation.

I sensed, however, we were on a big ship, America that is, and would get through the raucous of it all, just be prepared for lots of high winds and tall waves rolling over the bow of sanity.

Everyone was affected this year. Some assert that the great statesman of ancient Greece, Pericles, said, “Just because you do not take an interest in politics does not mean politics will not take an interest in you.” Whether he said it or not, the politics of this year jabbed awake America’s quiet citizens.

No one could ignore politics this year. For the past six weeks, I tried mightily to: I canceled my 29-year subscription to the Anchorage newspaper; I stopped viewing internet news, including Facebook; I refused to listen to talk-radio in the car. Yep. I went cold turkey.

The only news I allowed myself was in emails friends sent to me or in conversations shared while out and about. I know I missed a few riots and police killings. Every time I opened a link to a current news story, my self-induced peace began to leave.

The news is great not to get sometimes.

Half way through this six weeks, I discovered a Walden Pond moment, a moment of clarity that it did not matter who became president, for the real work of rebuilding this nation starts in my own home, in my own life, that is where the battleground lies.

I discovered something else. When I was back east for a visit in late August, I would avoid saying, “I’m for Trump,” solely because I didn’t want to be bashing minds with my friends.

With messy politics, many voices go unspoken. A poll recently asked folks, “Who do you think your neighbor is voting for?” Trump won that question handily. The silent are alive. They are your neighbor. Surprise.

A very liberal friend of mine, changed his mind after he heard Trump’s convention speech, somehow convinced when Trump spoke directly to the American people saying that he is with them in their fight.

The press is playing catch up with quality information. This will be a landslide, which the press in their own egotistical way sought to prevent.

Success is more than a statistic. More than luck. More than shiny packaging. And that’s what Donald Trump represents, true success. Even his name reminds me of the word, “triumph.”

Follow the grit for a moment. Successful people in life have something wired in their brains. Call it confidence and not a shred of doubt. Lots of forethought, too. Success didn’t just sneak up on them as a byproduct. It was deliberately sought after and achieved. And it started in their mind.

My theory is that people have a success gene inside their gut that remains inert until a catalyst sparks it. Trump’s business success is that catalyst that lights up an entire Houston fireworks stand at once.

It’s the way successful people roll. He’s sparked what I would call the “emulation factor.” Americans love to emulate success. We live vicariously through our teams. The Cubs, for instance.

This is a soul challenging time for Americans.

Who is it that founded this country? Citizen soldiers who died without mention. Not everyone was bold to speak out against the British. Many kept their mouth shut at the time to avoid messy conversations.

The press is playing catch up to those voices.

We coddle aspirations to greatness, to achievement, to the American dream, and Trump has spoken to that latent hope inside our gut, the real battlefield, where we believe him. But more than him, we believe in ourselves. He does make us believe in ourselves. That’s why he’s going to win, hugely.