One nation: Can't we find and appreciate the things that make us indivisible?

United we stand. Divided we fall.

It was the motto of a revolution and has been modified and utilized a million times in a million ways since.

It is an ancient call to arms, its origin dating back to Aesop and the Bible.

The endurance of its message is a testament to its validity, proven across decades and generations.

And it is a warning we should heed and be ever mindful of in this nation in which we live.

There is money in division. There are people whose careers are focused on exploiting differences. They make their living promoting hatred and claiming that Americans have learned nothing over the hundreds of years since this country was founded. They have created an industry -- and a profitable one.

But are we so divided? Do most Americans really not understand what their neighbors face? Do they really not care? Is there that much of a divide between blacks and whites and other races and ethnic groups? Can we never get along?

That's what some people want you to think.

There are some who will never accept those whose circumstances and background do not match their own. They come in all shapes, sizes and colors.

And there are bad representatives of all races and socio-economic statuses.

They have been part of this world for generations, and they will be around long after we are all gone.

But there are good people in this community who work hard and try to live by a standard of faith and compassion. They encounter people of all sorts in their daily activities. They do not see color first. They see a potential for a neighbor, a possibility of a friend.

They are open to learning. They are eager to help -- and they do, when they see a need.

Is there an experience divide to conquer? Sometimes. But that is true of any new meeting, any chance encounter.

So while we can acknowledge that our stories might not be the same and that we might not always communicate as well as we should, we cannot say this country does not have the potential to be united.

We could stop letting people tell us how to think and whom to blame.

We could resist the temptation to judge first and to ask questions later or to listen to preconceived notions or blanket statements.

We could reject those whose mission seems to be to make sure we never realize how much we have in common and how far we have come.

We could see that faith, family, a chance at a better life, freedom and compassion are priorities and qualities many of us share. We can challenge others to adopt the values of hard work and responsibility, while acknowledging those who are trying to find their way.

We can agree to disagree sometimes while still respecting each other's right to speak -- and listen once in a while, too.

We can learn from each other.

We can take our unity back.

It is, after all, our country.

Published in Editorials on August 2, 2014 11:24 PM