
This thought is written with malice to none and goodwill to all. The end of the Civil War did more to further divisions among us as a nation. As with all conflicts, the victors have been perceived as vengeful while those that were defeated being viewed as bitter, with their loyalties questioned. The only loser in the conflict has been our Nation.
Entering a vitiated and poisonous environment filled with hate and intolerance for each other, we head to another democratic exercise that will likely make things worse still. It begs the question of why we continue to choose to keep democracy in the form of our republic alive.

Nearly two and a half centuries ago, the forbears of our nation, subjects of an arrogant monarchy, chose the path of ancient Rome and Greece, where the populace (albeit, select free citizens) determined the direction of the country. With safeguards through the separation of powers, the nominal leader was the First Citizen, the President. The equivalent of a King, but owing his assumed royalty to his being a representative of his population.
In recent years, people speak of having a leader of a particular race, religion, creed, gender or sexual preference. Seldom is heard the role for the person in the role being the true representative of America. Not anyone group, political party, religious affiliation or sect.
We move from the bitterness of one election to another. Our Presidents, either a hated member of a group we oppose or a subject of cult-like devotion blind to their faults.

In reality, our presidents are really a reflection of who we are as a nation. In a political democracy, the most successful individual/group is one that reads the prevailing sentiment and most closely aligns with the most powerful current, relentlessly sweeping them to power. Aided in no small part by opportunists in the media, a truly symbiotic cascade of events drive the forces that control our nation and, our daily lives.
So, when you are upset and railing at the system, the President, the congress, courts, laws and our body politic, remember they come from us. The change we need, is not on a poster or a campaign slogan and won’t come from a politician. God has endowed us with a constitution and nation that becomes whatever we choose to be and think.
If we want to make this better, we need to start with us. We need to be better people, responsible citizens, honest workers and to embrace our own humanity and recognize and respect the humanity in our fellow humans. We need to be kind to one another. Accept that people don’t see things the same way.
I don’t want an Indian-American, African-American, White American or Asian American leader. I want an American leader who represents the best of our values and will stay true to upholding the nation’s laws while retaining our humanity in treating every citizen with respect. I expect them to fight like partisans till the victory is won, but once victorious to do what it takes to engage the citizenry to unite us as one nation to face all foes.

God bless America!