LETTER TO THE EDITOR / ONE NATION INDIVISIBLE . . LIBERTY AND JUSTICE . . FOR ALL

Roger C. Kostmayer

The Pledge of Allegiance has been a fundamental part of American culture for 125 years, and it united Americans during WWI, WWII and the Cold War with the USSR. Essentially, the pledge says Americans couldn’t be divided one against another (as the Russians and the President have successfully done); that freedom is our heritage; and that we are a nation of fair laws where no one is above the law & even the most humble are guaranteed equality.

Most Americans make it clear that they want people and politicians to work together, to be respectful, and to believe in the pledge values. But, somehow, it has become increasingly difficult.

Historians point to the cumulative impact of events like: the 1990s when Speaker Gingrich radicalized partisanship and shut the government down; the Bush v Gore election in 2000 when the Supreme Court chose our President; VP Cheney & the Neo Cons’ Iraq invasion based on falsehoods about WMDs; Sen. McConnell’s commitment to obstructing the first African-American president to insure he wouldn’t be reelected, and then he violated the Constitution by preventing hearings or “advice and consent” for SC nominee Judge Garland. The questionable 2016 election and the Robert Meuller investigation have obviously heightened division and lowered civility. Sadly, the American tradition of coming together in difficult times and putting country first has been seriously eroded.

President Trump isn’t the cause of our current condition, but he is now the catalyst that prevents correction. The persons both responsible for where we are, and responsible for bringing the nation back to its norms and Constitutional traditions are – us.

President John F. Kennedy famously said: “Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country”.

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