“Can we get along?”

The troubled Rodney King asked that, on national television, in 1992 after his beating and abuse by police led to terrible Los Angeles riots. The violence caused 53 deaths, nearly 2,400 injuries, more than 7,000 fires, damage to 3,100 businesses and nearly $51 billion in financial losses.

King, despite his history of run-ins with the law, led appeals for “trying to work it out.”

Now, as we wind down the 2008 election period, seems the perfect time to revive King’s plea for more social harmony. In too many instances, things have turned ugly and petulant in the constant bickering about who should be for whom and why.

It is bad enough that the “dirty tricks” and “nasty politics” by office-seekers and their entourages have created so much name-calling and even physical foolishness, such as the theft of political campaign signs.

Just as bad, or worse, is that too many citizens who usually take a pretty sane approach to life and government have become caught up with hard feelings over the election. Some Republicans have shifted to the Democratic camp and veteran Democratic voters have decided the GOP candidate is preferable. Because of these changes – as well as some half-truths and outright lies – uneasiness has been created, for no good reason, among good people who long have been friendly and compatible.

There are tensions in many gatherings, local and otherwise, which did not exist before and should not be so common now. The climate of the 2008 campaigning has created disturbing ruptures in relationships that have withstood far more severe tests over the years.

It’s an election, people! Get out and vote and move on. Everyone, including all the scuffling candidates, will be at least a little grateful when it is all over next Tuesday. Why have so many of us allowed so much personal pettiness to develop when compatibility, respect and a spirit of cooperation to conquer our problems should be the order of the day, every day. There are gigantic problems America, its leaders and its citizens must solve, and soon.

Come the morning of Nov. 5, election winners and losers and their supporters need to cast aside differences and begin to cooperate. Just as important, the citizenry needs to do likewise and try to help the electees deal with issues such as the economy, energy, foreign policy, global finance, health care, war conditions, terrorism and innumerable other matters.

“Can we get along?” That’s a no-brainer. Get-along we must if we are going to survive and thrive as a nation.