Striving for Unity - January 26, 2021

I have tried very hard, as a citizen, to be informed, to be steadfast with my opinions and positions while being willing to take in new information, to see the value in compromise, and to recognize all people around me in my country as valued human beings.  Even when lobbying and speaking representatives and senators, even ones who disagreed with me, I only wanted them to listen and consider what I had to say.   I didn’t always sway them, but they heard me. 

  Now, I see senators and representatives either believing a quasi-fascistic approach to party politics that focuses on one person who has influence over their voters, much more than they have.   And what can some of them do if they want to stay in office, other than vote in a way that still shows homage to that person, whether or not they believe it’s moral, appropriate, or warranted?  

    These leaders say current proposals on how to handle the difficulties of the last several weeks are all about “hatred” of that person.   That person had many opportunities to win people over, but he was never inclined to do that.  It was more important to ridicule and denigrate.  It was more important to him to burn bridges than to build them.  So now, as the burning reach the most extreme level of communal arson, accountability must be a condition of unity.  Yet, those who say, “it’s time to move on” fear the consequences of revealing their moral fiber which could deprive them of their influence and power.     

    So it is likely that they believe, or have to believe, falsehoods that they must present as true if they want to retain their positions. 

    This isn’t the first time a need to hold onto a lie has happened in American history, of course.  However, when this approach excuses the perpetration of a campaign meant to undermine the fabric and foundation of our democratic government, its consequences will be with us for the foreseeable future.  

     I pray that some of us will find a way to preserve and add to the American tapestry and make it more colorful and more beautiful, rather than to see anyone eliminate altogether its many hues that are essential to our national character.   

      That must be our mission moving forward.