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A Nation Divided

Ed Townsend - Columnist
Posted 1/25/21

As a columnist who has written about politics for many years I can truthfully say I have never seen a nation so bitterly divided as it is now.

The hatred and bitter statements made by columnists …

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A Nation Divided

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As a columnist who has written about politics for many years I can truthfully say I have never seen a nation so bitterly divided as it is now.

The hatred and bitter statements made by columnists and others have divided this great country of ours.

It all brings to mind a verse from Psalm's 84.10 which reads, “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere...I would rather be a doorkeeper in the House of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.”

The late Senator John McCain in 2018 said it so clearly, “we weaken our greatness when we confuse our patriotism with tribal rivalries that have sown resentment and hatred and violence in all the corners of the globe, We weaken it when we hide behind walls, rather than tear them down, when we doubt the power of our ideals, rather then trust them to be the great force for change they have always been.”

What has happened to America? The trend politics has taken has to be changed for all.

First we need to examine why such division and how did hatred take over.

Why does evidence suggest that American political parties have become increasingly polarized over the past several decades. It used to be you were either a Democrat or Republican, each had their own goals but now it's Liberal vs. Conservative and this is where it gets nasty.

It seems there are ideologues without issues in today's politics, and it shows that issue based is defined by what one believes about the issues and identity-based is defined with one's social identity or party affiliation.

Another study published by a professor at Texas Tech University provides additional insight regarding the contributing role of the media in the political polarization of the country and the alleged manipulation to expose two different story versions.

Objective news reporting is the antitheses of the enemy of the people but selective exposure to politically-biased news in general that highlights political conflict that can fuel the fire of political polarization in what amounts to a vicious cycle.

Abraham Lincoln said it best… “we the people are the rightful masters of both the congress and the courts...not to overthrow the Constitution but to overthrow the men who would pervert the Constitution.”

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