A Nation Divided

We are a nation divided. Like members of a large family unit, we have our differences. As is the case in most families, in times of crisis, we stand together and put those differences behind us; or at least to one side. Ours is a rather large family, about 330 million. We have nice people, kind people, and just enough scoundrels to keep us off-balance. You know, just like your extended family. I know I have had all sorts in mine. Some you really like and some you don’t want to sit next to at Thanksgiving dinner.

I saw a recent talk show that went to a small town in Texas that had voted 98% for Donald Trump. The interviewer asked several people about how they felt about Biden being president. All but one stated they were willing to give him a chance. That was hopeful. These were not the screaming flag waving hateful rally folks who stormed our nation’s Capitol, these were down-to-earth reasonable people. The kind you might want to have as neighbors. Not all Trump fans are mouth-breathing Neanderthals. These are good people who happen to have a particular point of view.

Those of us on the left side of this giant teeter-totter now feel hopeful. Those on the right feel the same trepidation we felt when Donald Trump moved into the White House. Hopefully, Joe Biden can act, talk, and function like the American presidents we remember. We might have liked or not liked leaders like Reagan, Bush 1 or 2, Clinton, Carter, or Obama, but we called them Mr. President and uttered the words with the respect which the office deserves. I was taught in the military that, you might not like the person wearing the uniform, but you saluted the uniform out of respect for it.

For those on the right who now say they want to move on, I’m willing to move on. For those who want to continue to debate last year’s election, or Hillary’s emails, or some other distraction, I will ignore you and move on to listen and debate the more rational and reasonable among you. I can understand the frustration felt on both sides of this division. We have long suffered a fully damaged congressional system that is barely functioning. They are like a car that is needed for a long journey that has four bald tires, a bent rim, and an engine long overdue for an oil change. We might make it and we might not. Most would agree that a bit of preventative maintenance would improve our chances.

Not quite ready for that road trip.

We need to move forward. If an investigation into certain folks associated with the last administration shows that crimes were committed, so be it. Let the chips fall where they may. That, however, is not the primary crisis facing this nation. We have a disease that is killing us by the tens of thousands. We have vaccines that can make a difference but a broken delivery system. We have people unemployed, threatened with eviction who are food insecure. While Wall Street is raking in the cash, nothing seems to be “trickling down” to the people in dire straits.

There are solutions that should be simple to implement but we are facing these problems with a dysfunctional government. Hopefully this new administration can use science, a bit of tolerance, and some very bright people motivated to make a difference in something other than their own bank accounts, to make the necessary moves. We’ve changed the oil in our metaphorical car, now let’s fix the rim, change the tires, and get this show on the road.