Coming To Terms With Our Divided Selves

IT ITS WORTH NOTING that the United States of America has always, to one degree or another, been divided. The very idea of declaring independence from the British empire caused extreme division. Between 1776 and 1781 tens of thousands of Americans loyal to England left the United States, never to return. Of those who remained, a large percentage were strongly opposed to the Revolutionary War, which they considered, quite rightly, treasonous. Then, of course, came the "Civil War". In every state which seceded, there was at least one county which refused to secede. In America, internal divisions are ubiquitous. There was a large faction opposed to entry into both world wars, and throughout much of the nineteenth century tens of thousands of women marched to outlaw alcohol and to legalize women's suffrage. Discord between labor and capital management is a fundamental feature of the American economy. The divisions associated with Viet Nam scarcely need mentioning. Many of us are old enough to remember that nightmare well. The notion that there was once upon a time a contented and united states of America is as false as the notion that there was once a time when American public political discourse was civil; no such animal ever existed. The notion that we ought to return to a happier time of contentment is false, simply because there has never been a happier time of contentment and domestic tranquility. The United States exists, alas, in a permanent state of turmoil and internal conflict. Much is made of today's divided climate. It is estimated that ten to twelve percent of conservatives and eight to ten percent of liberals have no interest in ideologically uniting the country, but are only interested in defeating the other side. I have one foot firmly planted in the intransigent sphere. I simply cannot respect anyone who refuses to accept human made climate change as a clear and present danger, nor do I consider xenophobia, and the vilification of immigrants as detrimental to America as having validity. Nor, for that matter, do neo-liberal supply side economics seem at all acceptable to me. All these things i wish to defeat, completely. But at least I'm willing to compromise on gun ownership rights and the need to discourage abortion. That's a start, if nothing else. There may never be a time when the United States is a truly a united country, and it may be best that way. But one can at least hope for some improvement in our hate filled culture, and hope and work for a better time when the hatred is ameliorated by education, tolerance, and mutual understanding.