Over the past ten years, I've realized that our world is in constant chaos. Anxiety and fear permeate our lives as we navigate a troubled world filled
with challenges. This fall, I decided to end my relationship with media outlets. I will no longer listen to the news, and I've canceled my Sirius XM subscription because they won't provide me with a channel lineup that excludes the major news stations. This change has been coming for a long time, and I'm unsure how I feel about it.
I've been watching the news since I was in high school. The first story I clearly remember was on CNN about the fall of the Berlin Wall, followed by the invasion of Iraq during the first Gulf War. For me, that's when news started to make sense. Lately, though, it seems like one news station is pitted against another, full of biased opinions. Not to mention, you often get about ten minutes of news for every fifty minutes of commercials, which primarily promote pharmaceuticals, automobiles, and weight loss drugs—none of which interest me.
Amidst this madness, there is one figure who helps restore my sanity: Bob Dylan. Since Apple Music acquired his catalog, I've been listening to his entire collection. I particularly love the live festivals from Newport, especially his performances with Joan Baez and other folk singers; they're incredible. My favorite song is "Subterranean Homesick Blues." The combination of lyrics, electric guitars, and harmonica tells a story of madness reminiscent of the turmoil in our country during its creation. While the Vietnam War raged and bodies came home every day, this chaos continued until 1975, when Nixon signed the peace accord.
The news media puts an overwhelming amount of pressure on us. A talking head always tells us how to vote, declaring that one candidate will save us from the other while another will give away the storehouse to buy our votes. This year, I exercised my civic responsibility and went to vote. However, I did not vote for any candidate from a major party. When it came time to vote for president, I wrote in my name. Some might consider this throwing away a vote, but I learned in my high school government class that voting is an act of participating in democracy. Whether I voted for myself is irrelevant; the important part is that I voted.
In the Gospels is a story of the Pharisees and Herodians coming to Jesus. They asked him if it was right to pay Caesar taxes. Jesus asked them if they had a denarius. When they replied yes, he said, "Render unto Caesar what is Caesar's, and render unto God what is God's." Jesus was the most apolitical and anti-empire individual in all of history. Rev. Melissa McCarthy often reminds me that "God's got this!" So, why do we fret and fear over something God already knows the outcome of? I believe we participate in voting as a way to exercise our voice. Ultimately, God knows what will happen, and it's our time to trust Him with what we have and what He will bless us with. In turn, we bless others.
Blessing others doesn't always mean getting involved in causes or giving away money; it means holding your family, friends, community, and congregation close to your heart in prayer so that heaven cannot help but listen.
This election season is the first time in all my voting years that I've felt free not to vote for a major party candidate, and I’m proud of that. I remember my dad taking me to the polling place and showing me how to use the voting machines with levers to push up and down. Those moments with my dad were powerful; I’m grateful for them. I know he would be proud of my decision, and I continuously trust him to the Lord’s care.
As you vote on Tuesday, November 5, I hope you'll choose whatever candidate you feel is right and appreciate the opportunity to exercise your voice. This is the beauty of America: the freedom to choose our representatives, to choose our lives, and to love God.
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