A House Divided

Recently I had a lengthy discussion with a close friend about the current situation in the United States. Naturally, the conversation was politically charged and primarily centered around a single individual. It’s important to note that, despite our differing political viewpoints, we hardly agreed on anything the other person said. However, our friendship is strong enough to withstand this divergence of opinion. As expected, neither of us changed the other’s mind or perspective during the conversation. Nevertheless, the friendship is stronger than the division of ideas, so we ended the conversation as friends. This incident leads me to the purpose of this article.

My confusion lies in how two reasonably intelligent individuals can perceive the same person and their actions, leading to diametrically opposed opinions about that person or their intentions. Similarly, I struggle to comprehend how two people can examine the same set of facts and arrive at entirely different conclusions regarding their meaning. It’s evident that this occurs daily, and politics likely stands as the most divisive aspect of our nation. Until we all reach a consensus, we will remain divided. However, disagreeing with anger, name-calling, and violence is not the solution. We possess the strength and intelligence to disagree respectfully. Wouldn’t that be a pleasant outcome?

I’ve been wasting oxygen on this planet for a long time now. Looking back over the years, I don’t recall a time when we seemed so divided as we do today. Perhaps I wasn’t well-informed, or maybe I simply wasn’t paying attention.

Today, we have an abundance of information that is easily accessible in numerous ways. Thirty years ago, we traveled in our cars, listened to news on our local radio station, and then moved on to other things. The news broadcasts were usually brief, and the news casters reported facts rather than opinions.

Nowadays, we’re bombarded with information and opinions from all directions. We have twenty-four-hour news channels, or better stated opinion channels and social media platforms where accurate and misleading facts are constantly circulated and repeated, often without any civil discourse. It’s natural for us to hold onto our opinions, even when someone insults us because of them. But that’s a topic for another day.

If you’ve read this entire article, eagerly awaiting my solution to this division problem, I regret to inform you that I have nothing to offer. I firmly believe that “a house divided against itself cannot stand.” I comprehend that significant changes are necessary to achieve unity and righteousness, but I am uncertain about the specific path forward. It might be beneficial if some of these changes began at the highest levels and gradually permeated downwards. Additionally, it would be helpful if those we elect to office genuinely fulfilled their responsibilities rather than behaving like entitled children. Furthermore, it would be constructive if we all took a moment to reflect, regroup our thoughts, and be open to the possibility that not everyone shares our perspectives.`

In conclusion, I can only offer that we try to follow the advice of one infamous individual who says, “Can’t we all just try to get along?” It’s unlikely but hope springs eternal from the human heart. I plan to try harder to understand.  Will you?