By James G. Smith
The Selma Times-Journal

Back when network television was worth watching, ABC had a sports program that aired every Saturday called, “Wide World of Sports.” Jim McKay and others hosted it and there was a classic catchphrase used expressing, “the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” Of course, there were video clips along with the phrase showing the contrasting emotions. I couldn’t help but think back to this aphorism watching the reaction of the two political camps to Donald Trump becoming the president-elect.

I saw the thrill of victory in the faces and emotions of the Donald Trump supporters and the agony of defeat, expressed in tears by some of the Hillary Clinton camp. It was priceless and worth all the suffering this past 18 months of the campaigning. It was just as satisfying watching the network blabber mouths with their jaw dropping expressions of disbelief. After they had worked so hard trying to drag Hillary across the finish line, it all blew up right before their eyes. If there is one thing we learned from this election cycle, as if we didn’t already know, it is the main stream media cannot be trusted for a fair and balanced portrayal of political issues or candidates. It is amazing how Donald Trump won this election with most all news media in print and TV against him.

I think Thomas Jefferson would be very disappointed if he were here to witness this last election season in the press and media. Perhaps he would even subscribe to a quote made by Filipino Journalist F.H. Batacan. “No use complaining about the world’s freest press-we fought for it, we got it, now we have to live with the nonsense that it spews out.”

As far as all the marching and demonstrating against the election results, that is what some liberals do when they don’t get their way. They throw temper tantrums. Some even preach “Love Trumps Hate,” but when they lose, they practice real hate in the streets. As a reminder, it happened, and they have had eight years to bask in liberalism. It is now time for the opposition to have a shot at bringing the country back toward the middle. As a matter of fact, it was middle America that was heard from in this election. The liberal mega metropolises of the Northeast and California did not elect the president as they were counting on However, we need to keep the demonstrations in perspective.

According to a report in townhall.com quoting the latest Rasmussen poll, 84 percent of Americans accept the results of the election, and even 76 percent of Clinton supporters accept it. Apparently, the demonstrating and rioting involves a small number of malcontents from those who claim not to accept the results of the election. It involves an even smaller number of the malcontents involved in damaging private and public property.  We are a democratic republic and governed by the rule of law and most folks accept it and move on. Accept it or not, it is the results of our election process and will stand. It’s the law of the land.