Whether Tuberville or Jones, It’s Still About We the People

Somewhere along the way, Americans started treating elections like football games. Red jerseys. Blue jerseys. Winners. Losers. Everybody yelling at the referee. But what if we’re all playing for the same team?

Whether Tommy Tuberville or Doug Jones wins, the people of Alabama will wake up the next morning wanting many of the same things. We want safe children, honest government, meaningful work, affordable homes, good schools, peaceful neighborhoods, and freedom. We want liberty and justice for all.

Republicans and Democrats disagree about how to achieve those goals. Those differences matter. But disagreement doesn’t have to mean division.

Here’s something worth remembering. The Constitution begins with three extraordinary words: We the People. Not We the Republicans. Not We the Democrats. Not We the Politicians. We the People.

Politicians make promises. Some keep them. Some don’t. But the responsibility for building a better country has never belonged exclusively to elected officials. It belongs to us.

Maybe America’s next great political revolution won’t begin in Washington or Montgomery. Maybe it begins when two neighbors who voted differently shake hands across a fence.

Maybe it begins when we listen before arguing, serve before criticizing, and recognize that loving our country includes loving the people who disagree with us.

Jesus gave us a remarkably simple instruction: Love your neighbor. He didn’t ask which political party that neighbor belonged to. “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God.” — Matthew 5:9.

Imagine what Alabama could accomplish if we spent half as much energy helping one another as we spend fighting over politicians. Imagine communities united around good news, good music, and good works.

We don’t need unanimous agreement to pursue common ground. We need humility, courage, compassion, and the willingness to remember that our neighbors are fellow Americans, not enemies.

Here’s the good news.

Election Day chooses our leaders. Every other day, we choose what kind of people we will be. And that choice belongs to all of us, beginning today.