The Division of a United Nation

by Nicholas Andrade

Amongst the flurry of post-election emotions, whether you sit in disgust, joy, or indifference, a significant problem is in the hands of all American citizens. The state of American politics and discourse is in a troubling state. We as American citizens have been dividing over the past several elections, and potentially much longer. We have lost connection with our fellow countrymen and instead allow politicians with biased agendas to sway our opinion of each other. We no longer exhibit the ability to speak to each other respectfully and openly despite our differences in opinions.

There is a majority of the American populace whose voice is never heard, and thus their nuanced opinions and solutions are lost in the polarized battle between cartoonish and extreme political figures. I argue that we, as American citizens, have been deeply divided due to the polarizing nature of entertainment politics, the lost art of respectful argumentation, and the lack of the silent majority’s nuanced opinions.

Today’s political atmosphere has changed in a fashion, not unlike that of news media. When once the daily news was full of expert fact-finding, honest journalism, and intelligently crafted stories, it is now in a state to grab attention, entertain the populace, and incite emotions to fit agendas despite the facts. In comparison, American politics lacks the honest, fact-driven, and solution-oriented discourse it used to exhibit. Today’s political figures are extreme and opinionated, molding their agendas to grasp voter attention without offering the facts or solutions to back their claims.

Political parties gather celebrities to grab voters’ attention and use rhetoric to polarize voters into resenting anyone with differing opinions. I would surmise that we have more in common with our fellow Americans than we have with government officials or political party delegates. If we put forth candidates that truly represent us, and not those that represent the far reaches of the political spectrum, then we may find our loyalties lie more with ideas than with figureheads and political parties. If we elect leaders who have walked among us, then we may find a candidate that understands the nuance and diversity of the American people.

In schools across America, students are taught the art of argumentation. Students are taught to develop their opinions through research, create a thesis supported by evidence, and craft an argument that considers all perspectives and supports an idea or solution. However, in American politics, the art of respectful argumentation is lost. Differences in opinions become personal attacks and debates become matches filled with insults and vitriol. This is seen on both the presidential debate stage and between everyday Americans. We, as countrymen, have lost our ability to communicate, disagree, and come to conclusions through facts and reason. We would rather win with anger and falsehoods than be wrong and acknowledge it.

This form of communication is difficult and requires respect, humility, and emotional control. We must learn that there are worse things than being wrong, and we must learn that we can disagree with each other without hate or malice. A person’s opinions or beliefs will not be changed through personal attacks and anger, and furthermore, their stances may even be bolstered. If we want to affect change then we must come to the table calm, collected, and willing to respectfully debate with an open mind.

America’s strength lies in our diversity. Each American comes from a unique upbringing, experience, culture, belief system, and heritage. This makes each state, county, and town full of unique opinions and ideas regarding the direction our nation should be moving in. It is puzzling then that we can fit all of our nation’s diverse population into two very different and polarized political parties. The political parties have become so divided that there is a significant amount of the population trapped in a mysterious middle ground. This middle ground is full of nuance and a populace that feels potentially unheard by both major political parties.

Perhaps even worse, they may feel partially represented by both parties and unable to make a choice that aligns with their beliefs for fear of being labeled as something they are not by either political extreme. By ignoring the nuanced silent majority, we are alienating a group of Americans that represent most of us. By ignoring the silent majority, we are left to place many among us in two boxes: friend or foe. Instead of building walls between friends, families, co-workers, and fellow Americans, we should strive to understand the unique perspectives among us. Only when we’ve sought to understand each other can we truly know if they are a friend or a foe. I venture you would find a few true foes, and many friends among those around you, no matter their political affiliation.

We often forget that the best person to represent our opinions and perspectives is ourselves. If we engage in thoughtful, albeit difficult, discourse with the citizens we disagree with then we gain the opportunity to grow and make this country the beacon of democracy it was when it was founded. Only through division do we lose our identity, and only through conversation and respectful debate do we grow closer to being united. I implore you to speak to your fellow Americans. Have difficult conversations with your friends, family, co-workers, and even strangers in your community. Consider their perspectives and question your own beliefs. The maintenance of democracy requires this of us. If we spend time to speak to each other again, as countrymen, then, in time, we may be a united nation once more.

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Nicholas Andrade is a proud American, husband, service member, paramedic, and firefighter. Nicholas has spent his life dedicated to continually learning, teaching, and serving his community. Nicholas works and lives in Vermont with his wife and dog. He spends his time critiquing coffee shops and poorly recreating the items on their menu at home. My thoughts and opinions are my own and do not represent the opinions of the DOD or any of the opinions of my employers.

As the Voice of the Veteran Community, The Havok Journal seeks to publish a variety of perspectives on a number of sensitive subjects. Unless specifically noted otherwise, nothing we publish is an official point of view of The Havok Journal or any part of the U.S. government.