Not All That Different

Between you and me, we are not all that different. We are the United States of America.

Established to become a light on a hill that cannot be hid, our great republic, the United States of America, has prospered through good times and bad, difficult times and relative ease, wars and peace, economic turmoil and prosperity, terrorist attacks and attacks on terror, close elections and routs. Through all, the United States has emerged tall and proud, shining forth its light as an inspiration to all the world.

Not all has been rosy and peachy, to be certain. The stain of slavery and subsequent racial intolerance cannot and never should be forgotten. We must continue to fight to rid ourselves of any remaining seeds of hatred and oppression, laboring incessantly to create change and forgiveness in the hearts of all.

Another persistent stain in our republic is the plague of perpetual poverty, propagated by progressive politics and propaganda. It’s high time we end the costly and failed war against poverty and put an end to poverty by raising the standard of living of every citizen of this nation and allowing everyone the opportunity to prosper as promised by the American Dream.

Through all, the United States of America stands far and above higher than any other nation in its protection of our rights, freedoms and liberties, offering the freedom to fight to better ourselves year after year.

Let’s not lose what we have fought so hard and for so long to accomplish.

Today we find ourselves at a crossroads. We can continue to shine our light throughout world or we can douse that light which has illuminated our republic for more than 200 years.

The election is over, with no clear mandate on what our citizens seek in a national leader. Half the country voted for one candidate and the other half voted for the other, each with completely different philosophies and ideologies.

COVID-19 rages on and continues to disrupt, distract and divide.

Derision and division reign supreme in many areas of our republic.

Racial and religious discrimination persist, despite laws and regulations that promise to put and end to such intolerances. When will we learn that thoughts and beliefs cannot be legislated?

In spite of these roadblocks and speedbumps, we can and must rise above our differences; we must stop living below our rights and privileges.

Today is a new day. Tomorrow will bring yet another new day. Each new day is an opportunity to stand up, dust off our chaps and square our shoulders to move ahead on the road to recovery.

Will we in this great nation look backward at the bad times and wear them as anchors, preventing us from moving forward or will we shed the weights that once bound us and trudge forward, paving the way for a greater, better world?

Will we continue to look at our neighbors with suspicion and mistrust, wondering whether they support a candidate we disapprove of or whether they will make us sick if we stand too closely to them?

Today is the day to begin our march forward, one step at a time. Every tomorrow becomes a new today. Every today ends up a distant yesterday.

Let us forget our disagreements for long enough to learn what we have in common.

Let us set aside our petty differences and embrace that which makes us one – our common heritage as humans on earth, children of God.

Let us pledge to lift one another rather than knock each other down.

Let us feed those in need rather than our own egos.

Let us share our tables with people we do not understand and consider our common similarities rather than sow seeds of discord.

Let us unite, one nation, under God, indivisible and seek liberty and justice for all.

Let us stand together as individuals, families, communities and states.

Finally, let us stop relying on Washington and the media to dictate, control and minimize our lives.

We are not all that different from each other.

We are the United States of America!