In The Loop- November 22, 2024
What happens now across the country and in Connecticut?
After the recent election, and the one before, it’s not surprising that nearly half the voters are disenchanted with the results.
We’ve been told throughout our lives, “Don’t be a sore loser,” or “Keep your celebrations to yourself until you are by yourself.” But I prefer the quote by Harry Sheehy the winningest D3 former coach at Williams College: “It’s your response to winning or losing that makes you a winner or loser.”
Lately, however, rather than accepting defeat with grace or shaking hands after the game with recognition of a battle well fought, too many campaigns and their supporters are tending to respond with allegations of dirty pool by the other side, complaints of fraud or accusing the other side of not caring about people or their country, and demonizing their opponents after time has run out and the game is over.
High stakes don’t demand heated rhetoric.
While some may disagree, America’s best example of dignified dissent can be found in the U.S. Supreme Court, where justices routinely disagree yet maintain respect even when handling the most political cases. Even in polarizing cases, dissenting justices conclude their opinions with, “I respectfully dissent.” It’s a practice that shows how deeply rooted dissent is in American history. Even fierce rivals like the late Justices Antonin Scalia and Ruth Bader Ginsburg maintained a friendship grounded in mutual respect despite widely disagreeing on ideas—without personal animosity.
As presidential historian Alexis Coe wrote, dissent and partisanship trace back to George Washington’s cabinet, where political disagreements spilled beyond closed doors. The Bill of Rights, which guarantees our right to peaceably assemble and petition the government, is another example of respectful dissent. As Temple University historian Ralph Young observes, “Americans haven’t shut up since.”
Yet dissent doesn’t mean undermining one’s own country. Political scientist Juliet Hooker argues that true patriotism includes questioning wrong actions rather than blindly supporting them. Martin Luther King Jr. echoed this sentiment, challenging calls for incremental change and arguing that some “bargain-rate” approaches to reform delay real justice—yet he never criticized the opponents who forcefully disagreed with his position.
Meanwhile, before many of us were born, presidential candidate Adlai Stevenson, graciously accepted his two losses to former President Eisenhower in 1952 and 1956, serving as a model for post-election civility. Upon losing to Eisenhower in 1952, Stevenson called for unity, saying, “It is traditionally American to fight hard before an election. It is equally traditional to close ranks as soon as the people have spoken.”
Former president George H.W. Bush, who famously left a supportive, hand-written letter for former president Bill Clinton after losing his re-election bid: “Your success now is our country’s success. I am rooting hard for you.”
Whether elected officials are seated here in the Connecticut legislature or on their city council or in the second-floor corner office of the State Capitol (aka the Governor’s office), the way we move forward is to listen, respectfully disagree, rally like-minded residents, watch the vote as it’s taken and then respect the basic rule of democracy—the majority rules.
History provides some timeless quotes that underscore the strength of democracy and respectful dissent—those we can draw upon over the coming four years, or perhaps just until the 2026 election. At that point, the U.S. House will be up for election and Connecticut’s statewide election for governor, legislature and the constitutional officers will happen.
Frederick Douglass was a formerly enslaved man who became a prominent activist, author and public speaker who proclaimed, “If there is no struggle, there is no progress.”
These words highlight the necessary tension in a democratic society. After an election, especially a hotly contested one like we just experienced, the focus should be on moving forward through constructive disagreement. That’s what democracy is all about – the voice of the people. We will have plenty of opportunities to appeal to the voters at election time.
Post-election life reminds us of the need for resilience and maintaining decorum, no matter whether our side won or lost. “Courage is grace under pressure,” Ernest Hemingway said. We all have responsibility for the future and responsibility to embody the dignity that democracy demands.
Ultimately, good post-election etiquette requires resilience and a resolve to move forward. It’s about accepting loss without abandoning one’s principles and finding common ground while persisting, respectfully, in the face of disagreement.
The strength of American democracy lies in its ability to embrace both unity and dissent, knowing that the strongest link in our nation’s true success depends on the strength of each link in its chain.