Healing a Divided America: Dr. Gail C. Christopher’s Analysis of the Election’s Impact

In a thought-provoking Washington Monthly article, Dr. Gail C. Christopher explores the November election’s profound impact on America’s well-being and future. She underscores the need for a “teachable moment” to address divisions and prevent further fragmentation, asserting that the election’s aftermath demands deeper reflection.

Dr. Christopher, Executive Director of the National Collaborative for Health Equity (NCHE), was struck by this urgency during a visit to a friend’s nonprofit. Overwhelmed by personal loss and the election’s results, her friend lamented, “And then my country died.” This poignant statement illuminated the grief many feel, believing democracy itself is at risk.

Reflecting on how such division emerged, Dr. Christopher explains that the election was fueled by harsh rhetoric. She highlights the emotional toll of a campaign that left half the electorate grieving, perceiving the nation as irrevocably changed. Dr. Christopher delves into the election’s rhetoric, contrasting it with her understanding of strength, inspired by the men in her life. For her, true strength lies in compassion, hard work, and resilience. She contrasts this with the campaign’s appeal to a distorted masculinity, marked by aggression, victimhood, and exclusion.

“Too often,” she writes, “strength is mischaracterized as bombast, bullying, and violence.” She highlights how campaigns exploited insecurities among men, perpetuating extremist views and divisive ideologies. Ads targeting vulnerable groups, like the transgender community, and misinformation about immigrants exemplified this tactic, fostering fear and hostility.

Central to this division, Dr. Christopher notes, is the unregulated influence of social media. Platforms amplify fear and hatred through algorithms that prioritize sensationalism over truth. This toxic environment manipulates emotions, embedding lies and dehumanization into public discourse.

“The social media landscape is complicit,” she argues. “Unchecked, it perpetuates despair, normalizes violent rhetoric, and fosters addiction to bullying behaviors.” She calls for urgent reforms to curb the spread of disinformation and its corrosive effects on democracy.

As one of the nation’s foremost experts on healing, Dr. Christopher offers strategies for confronting these challenges. She urges Americans to resist violent rhetoric, reject dehumanization, and champion truth and kindness.

Dr. Christopher’s call to action is clear: to rebuild trust and unity, society must prioritize accountability, compassion, and equitable representation. Only then can the nation move beyond grief and division, nurturing a hopeful and resilient democracy.