For over 60 years, since the Truman Administration, this writer has been a student of American political affairs. This period has included wars, civil rights protests throughout America, the 1968 Democrat Party Convention in Chicago which was seriously marred by violence in the streets, and the Vietnam War with its protests. Yet, through all of these societal traumas, our nation overcame angry times and threats to our national unity. We can and must do so again, especially now as America is sorely threatened by diabolical foes at home and abroad.
The November 2016 national election was much more than that. The election results precipitated a cultural upheaval. Many traditions were blown away. Norms were smashed in politics, economics, news reporting (fake news stories and entire networks engaging in heavy biased reporting), and recently the barrage of attacks on our president, Mr. Trump. Even in our Congress, there has arisen a mindless series of personal attacks that seriously threaten the very decorum and stability or our federal government. It is highest time that cooler heads prevail and assert themselves so that the people's work will be served for the common good. The elections are over. The people, especially the common man, have spoken.
Now is the time for national unity and a united front against America's enemies. In 1960, as America was perilously close to a World War III with Russia, our newly-elected president, John F. Kennedy, rallied Americans with his immortal words: "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country." Americans then put aside their differences, stood behind our president and met the Russian challenge. We prevailed. Tyranny suffered a humiliating defeat (the Cuban Missile Crisis).
Almost 100 years before JFK, another president, Abraham Lincoln, made a most passionate appeal for unity as our country drifted toward civil war. Lincoln won the election of 1860 but in the process, Mr. Lincoln's name had been dishonored, vilified and his victory had been rejected in the South.
Yet, he appealed to all Americans: "United we stand; divided we fall." Yet, war came and Mr. Lincoln led his people through it with determination and with his deep, abiding faith in God. We must remember today: United we stand. Divided we fall. Let us pray for America, knowing that a loving, almighty God can and will sustain us.
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God bless America.
