Can Americans Ever Come Together Again?
First, we’ll have to acknowledge what’s really behind the fight between left and right
In times of crisis, Americans are known to come together. World War II. The assassination of JFK. Sept. 11. We come together when the nation is threatened, or when some among us face sudden crisis. Floods and hurricanes wash away sentiments of red or blue, ushering in a flood of neighborliness and a torrent of help from strangers. But this weekend, with the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, things feel considerably different. It’s really hard to imagine the nation coming together over this crisis, even as the need to do so might be as vital as at any time in the history of our nation.
Why do the prospects feel so dismal?
The primary factors behind our collective discord seem obvious. Democrats I talk to blame Trump and MAGA politicians and the conservative media for the increasingly vitriolic and violent language of our public and political discourse. Republicans I talk to blame President Joe Biden and other prominent liberal politicians and the liberal media for the increasingly vitriolic and violent language of our public and political discourse. If you follow the news, you’ve probably seen similar sentiments expressed by various politicians and other public…
