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Remember how things felt after 911? Remember the solidarity that we felt as a nation? Maybe it was just me, or maybe it’s because I live in small town America, but for a time after that tragic day this country felt more like it had when I was a child. For a time we as citizens seemed to put ourselves aside and help our neighbors. For a time it seemed that we actually respected each other as people. I don’t mean to imply that there weren’t dissenters or that we all agreed on everything after 911, but for the most part there was an overriding sense of solidarity. Everywhere I went, the people I ran into at least had a common ground, and even though we were perhaps only united through a common sorrow, indignation, and outrage it was, in retrospect, refreshing. For a time following the attacks, and in an overwhelming way, we stopped being democrats and republicans. We stopped being conservatives or liberals, and were simply Americans. Sadly, in the time since that tragic day, the citizens of this nation seem to have drifted even further apart than we were before 911.

Today we face threats from a resurgent Russia, a militant and soon to be nuclear Iran, Venezuela ready to stick a knife in us at the slightest opportunity, and a nuclear North Korea that seems all to ready to flex its muscles. We also face great threats to our economy, boarder security, energy usage, and overall American way of life. There are many challenges that face this nation at this time in our history; but perhaps the biggest threat we face isn’t from the outside, but from within. Indeed I believe that our biggest threat is much subtler and less tangible than these other obvious threats. I’m speaking of the underlying lack of cohesion apparent within the citizenry of this country.

Our current election cycle illustrates this point with alarming clarity. The tactics being employed by the supporters of the major candidates in this election show an alarming trend within this country. The smears, falsehoods, twisting of truths, and bullying tactics of the supporters from both sides have reached an all time low. This begins with the campaigns themselves of course and is exasperated by the media, but what troubles me the most is the way that the average Joe and Jane supporters are furthering this trend. Politics and religion have always been topics that tend to lead to heated debates and often hard feelings, but the truth is to a large extent we have lost the ability to talk to each other in a civil manner. I use the election cycle as an easy and currently relevant example, but it certainly isn’t an exclusive example.

As citizens we can and should debate policy. We should discuss differing opinions on matters of our country, lifestyle, or any other topic. But too often these discussions turn into name calling and bullying contests where the objective is to make the other side look or feel stupid. Instead of actually discussing the issues it comes down to who can yell the loudest or spout the most insults. The simple fact is; it is always easier to attack and try to defame the other side than it is to have a logical and fact based discussion, but this solves nothing. It only serves to create a larger rift between the two sides and almost always makes the attacker appear shallow and undereducated.

Whatever happened to discussing the facts of an issue? Whatever happened to presenting and discussing the pros and cons of one approach compared to another? Whatever happened to suggesting alternate ideas or improvements to existing ideas as opposed to simply bashing the person suggesting those ideas? In short, what happened to not only our respect for others and their ideas but indeed to our self respect as well?

The internet with its ease of access and relative anonymity hasn’t helped matters, but we can’t blame the tool for the way we use it. If we break a screwdriver by using it as a pry bar, it doesn’t mean the screwdriver was flawed. It means that either our understanding of its use was flawed, or we were just plain too lazy to go get a pry bar.

With all the threats we now face and at this important time for our country, it seems to me to be time that we citizens stop our petty bickering and start to work together to demand better performance from not only our government but also from ourselves. Regardless of which candidate wins in November he will have great challenges to face. Both of the major candidates want to change Washington, but let’s face it, no mater which one wins they will have a very tough job to do and not all of their promises will be fulfilled. Our role as citizens of this great country is to come together and help our elected officials make positive changes that will benefit this country and its people. To do that we need to learn once again how to talk to each other, respect each other, compromise, and help each other. We’ve already had one civil war between the north and the south; let’s work together to prevent another one between the left and the right.