Bridge Makers: Coming Together to Face the Next Crisis
To honor bloggers willing to put the good of the country before ideological and party affiliations, I have added a new blogroll listing, Bridge Makers.
The democratic republic we call the United States is based upon certain principles embodied in the Declaration of Independence, our Constitution, and in the traditions of our Christian heritage. Our democracy works well only to the degree we are willing to put the welfare of our neighbors on the same level as our own. Our nation succeeds because we are willing at least in some degree to love our neighbor as much we love ourselves.
This week, this blog recognizes Ragnar, a poster, on Bearing Drift for his post defending Faisal Gill, a candidate for the House of Delegates (northern Virginia’s 51st District). Ragnar posted a defense of Faisal Gill, defending Gill’s honorable service to this nation.
If you are a regular reader of this blog, you may have gathered from some of the posts (here and here) on this blog that I believe the generations of Americans alive today are about to face a great national crisis.
And no. God has not spoken to me, and I am not psychic.
The Great Divisions
The United States has faced three great crises in it past: the American Revolution, the Civil War, and World War II. In each case, we did not overcome the problems that caused the crisis until we resolutely came together to deal with it.
Often the divisions amongst us were at the root of the problem. During the American Revolution, because the English King would not treat American colonists as English citizens, the colonists chose to rebel. Even after the rebellion had succeeded, many American colonists fled to Canada. During the horribly brutal Civil War, Americans fought entirely amongst themselves. The argument over slavery created irresolvable differences that have lingered into our present day. During World War II, it took a surprise attack to unify Americans against the danger presented by militaristic totalitarian states.
Now we again have a bitter cultural divide. Whatever conservatives do, it is wrong, and they cannot be allowed to succeed. Whatever liberals do, it is wrong, and they cannot be allowed to succeed. With such attitudes, we cannot work together. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.”
This is only one small blog. To help us come together and bridge the cultural divide that separates us, you too must, as Ragnar has, make the effort to bridge the gap.
