In much of the country, as we move through Fall and anticipate the Winter, we tweak and outfit our vehicles to avoid getting stuck in the mud or snow.  A bit of care normally sees us through. 

As for our beloved America, however, we seem completely stuck, stuck in a mire of suspicion, division, and hate.  Any casual student of our history knows about the genocide of Native Americans, about the terrible post-slavery treatment of African-Americans, and about our racist immigration policies over many generations.  It seems abundantly clear that some of us harken back to those dark times.  According to many polls, a large segment of today’s society holds the belief that the only true Americans are white Christians. 

This belief is spoken loudly at Trump rallies and suggested not so subtly by many GOP office holders and candidates.  That this belief runs counter to our founding documents and to the hopes and dreams of so many of us seems not to matter.  Nor does it seem to matter that the wonderful contributions of non-white Americans over our history in commerce, the arts, science, agriculture, education, public service, religion, and sports are perfectly evident and far too numerous to catalogue adequately. 

Spoiler alert:  America belongs to us all.  The American Dream is not a Christian country where values and behaviors are mandated and closely monitored and where white men are in charge.  We don’t chattel-ize women.  We don’t denigrate Jews.  We  don’t use violence to settle political differences.  We don’t ban and burn books.  And we don’t spread lies and false information when available facts are perfectly clear. 

The American Dream, instead, is a diverse country where everyone is afforded respect and has a fair chance to realize their individual potentials.  Our country should guarantee justice for all and access to quality education and health care.  Only then will our free market economy thrive and our freedoms survive and expand.

Americans have always been irascible, even ornery at times.  But hateful?  No, that we cannot be.  Outspoken, sure.  But immune from reason?  No, that we cannot be.  Interested in the para-normal, sure. But latching on to vile conspiracy theories?  No, that we cannot do.

We can save ourselves from this mire, because we have the tools — if we have the wisdom to use them.  These tools include common sense, hard work, fair play, humility, and brains.  And we have the examples of numberless forbears who fought for us, sacrificed for us, and who wrote novels, poems, and music for us.  And who placed their trust in us.  To escape this mire, we must pull together or sink further still.  Our choice is clear.

Will Newman

Tiverton