The other guy, registered Democrat Tim Thompson, was nominated in the primary with 4 write-in votes… on the Republican ticket. In the general, Thompson won the office of township treasurer… listed as a Republican. He remains a registered Democrat. Bogue, you might say, is an instructive microcosm of our species mentality.

Human beings are herd animals. Teenagers typically assert their unique identity by dressing alike. It's not exclusive to youth. Anybody who thinks or acts too independently risks being ostracized. To borrow a Yogi Berri-ism, if you don't join in, you get included out.

Nothing exemplifies it better than the index finger in the air, we're-number one-chant. Typically, it's a narrow but seductive focus. It's our bragging rights football team, or the church we go to, the club we belong to, or our political label, the color of our skin, or our gender identification, and even our sense of national exceptionalism.

We humans find comfort and ego-fulfillment in sameness. But that also implies , even requires, making much of differences. Anything different arouses our suspicion, stimulates our fear reflex, and too often pushes our hate buttons. I am reminded of Theodore Geisel's "Sneetches," a kids' book too good just for kids. Sneetches who had "stars upon thar's" hated those who didn't--even though the creatures were more alike than different.

Here in the village of Bogue, I had distributed four Obama for President yard signs. Within a week, one posted on the south end of main street had been stolen. Wrong herd. Made somebody mad. Not just angry, mad.

More recently, on the day before the polls opened, person or persons unknown drove onto a vacant lot, backed over another Obama yard sign, revved up the engine and spun out, hoping to destroy the sign. I was able to straighten the wire frame and re-position it. One corner was mutilated -- silent evidence of the venom of hate. I could be wrong, but in these parts I think it reflected herd mentality this year.

Maybe it was only about Obama's being a Democrat, but I'd be surprised if that was all of it. Obama has darker skin and a funny name. For some people, that's more than enough to trigger a convulsion of fear and loathing.

We have a new President. Both locally and nationally, we herd Americans have some things to ponder in the wake of this historic election. Some are broadly philosophical. One is whether the political or religious label we collectively assign ourselves is the final and best measure of who we are, and whether the label distinguishes us as worthier, more moral than other people. Another is whether the color of our skin guarantees anything significant about who and what's inside it.

This moment is a pivotal one. It is an opportunity to consider again who we are individually, as a nation, and as citizens of the world.

As a nation, we might reconsider whether the free market system is exempt from greed as many have been persuaded it can be -- whether it can regulate itself without the oversight of a government of, for, and by the people. If so, maybe Karl Marx was more right than not: human nature is ultimately perfectible. Or do we believe our own founders were wiser in understanding that human nature is flawed, that power is to be mistrusted, that the best hope is a democratic republic and a balance of powers, not an imperial Presidency.

Beyond our shores, we might weigh the cost of our consumerist lifestyle and its impact upon our planet… and upon our own character, too. We might consider whether, just because we live where we do, we are entitled to rule the world.

And finally, maybe we can recognize our membership in the largest herd of all, humankind. Surely, we can find some interests in common.