In America, the losers win, too

Tomorrow, the United States of America inaugurates its 46th president.

This will be the 12th inauguration of my lifetime, but it will be nothing like the eleven that came before it.

Months ago, anyone with even a bit of realism in them could see that a traditional inauguration could not happen for public health reasons.

This inauguration, however, is the first and only one out of 46 that has not been a “peaceful transfer of power.”

It is to this generation’s shame that, not even in the years before, during, and after the Civil War, did citizens try, by force of violence, to stop the lawful and legitimate transfer of power.

This generation of Americans is forgetting something that is essential and vital to self-government: Losers are still winners.

The day we give up on that is the day the Republic dies.

In self-government, everyone eventually loses just as everyone eventually wins. My idea, interests, or representatives may lose this time, but if the systems of self-government keep working, I can be sure that my idea, interests, or representatives will have a fair chance to win next time.

In self-government, losing is not forever. Losers can choose to do the work it takes to better understand what We the People need and want. Losers can work on better ideas, better plans, and better candidates who can better represent and serve We the People. When they do, We the People may choose to make the losers into winners next time.

In self-government, winners treat losers like winners. We know that losing an election is not the same as losing the right to exist, to have a voice, to join the public square, or to take a seat at the table where decisions happen. In self-government, winners treat the losers like they still count because they do. Winners understand that losers’ rights are equal (even if their power and representation are temporarily not equal).

In self-government, both losers and winners know they are not as big as We the People. So losers and winners are gracious, humble, open, and respectful toward one another. They know that how they treat one another is a reflection of their regard or disregard for We the People. Losers and winners work hard to preserve and protect the public trust and the systems of government. They know that if we lose those things, even the winners will lose because we will lose everything together.

In self-government, losers and winners honor each other because to do so is to honor We the People.

But, most of all, it is the honor, recognition, and respect that winners give to losers that make the United States special among the nations of the world.

Politics has its share of cynical, ruthless, selfish people who believe in “winner take all.” But in a system of self-government such as ours, the responsibility always rests with We the People. It is up to us to reject cynicism and selfishness in our dealings with each other. It is up to us to hire representatives who keep faith in self-government and who regard the rights of losers as equal to the rights of winners.

I am thankful to live in the United States of America, where our tradition is to treat losers like winners.

Let us work together to make sure we can pass this tradition on to the generations that follow us.

Onward and upward.