Americans must be able to disagree peaceably.
We are a multifarious nation, one of the greatest examples of diversity in the world – more than 330 million people representing every race, creed and culture.
Our Founding Fathers studied history and saw the challenges that a democracy would face in maintaining balance and representing every citizen.
That is why they designed a “balanced republic” with many checks and balances. Our judiciary, legislative and executive branches of government were designed to keep watch over each other. Our Electoral College was designed to ensure every area of the country, regardless of population, would always be fairly represented.
The founding of our great nation knew this was a risky undertaking. Democracies had not fared well across history. They were prone to come apart at the seams.
The designers of our Constitution hoped to create a system with great flexibility and resiliency.
So far, it has proven worthy of trust.
Like people themselves, our union was not perfect. There have been obstacles in our path. Across time, the country has worked through them. There is yet much work to be done.
However, our Constitution is the bedrock. It remains the hope for our future. It is the Constitution that ensures we have the right to question our past and shape our future.
When we judge people across time, we must be careful to assess the time-period they lived in. People are not often better than the times they grew up in. It is rare for people to transcend their time, laws and culture. Those who attempt to must engage society and their own human nature.
During times of social turbulence, we need to keep our eyes upon the goal. “Liberty and justice for all” does not happen by accident. Once attained, it will not be sustained without vigilance. We have to hold on to our sacred aspirations, national standards and Constitutional rights.
And, during these times of social conflict and acrimony, we must remind ourselves that every American citizen is sacred.
Our Constitution, like no other, was designed to serve and protect everyone. This brings with it a responsibility to share America. We must always look to share opportunity and to care about other Americans as if they are part of our immediate family. This caring requires some acceptance. Americans have the right to disagree.
Right now, it is probably hard for many to believe in the sacred miracle that is America. We see so much disdain for symbols of our past. Judged in the context of the present, it is easy to condemn our ancestors. However, do-
ing so without considering their accomplishments does not leave us with much to build upon.
Some believe that only the good endures across eternity – those things that represent divinity. As we question our symbols going forward, we should ask ourselves what it is that we want to commemorate. What can we learn from the past and what do we need to hold on to for the future? Some would say we need to honor our best moments, our best qualities, and build upon them.
What is referred to as the “cancel culture” looks for faults and then reduces the person and the period to its weakest moment. This approach has no heart. It has no empathy. We must judge the past as we would want the future to judge us. What were our best aspirations and our best achievements? What did we leave behind of value to build upon?
We must, I believe, always search for the common ground. What are we proud of as a nation? We must respect our differences, to the extent that we can. How do we meet each other halfway? We should look to preserve the sacred moments that brought us forward as a people. We do not worship the symbols of the past, we simply use them to remind us of the progress we have made. As we look to rename, rebrand our history, we should be careful not to throw out the good with the bad. We should be careful to preserve the good.
When we demonstrate compassion for others, we demonstrate spiritual properties that lift us up. Let’s continue to make the effort to separate issues from people. It is too easy to build stereotypes, judge and attack our fellow Americans. The truth about people is very rarely black and white. It is almost always somewhere in the gray.
Let’s demonstrate empathy for each other and look for the common ground. Progress that we can make together, if it is based upon true commitment to each other and our country, will endure time.
Nate Slate is a retired Soldier and community volunteer.