When it comes to the tiresome subject of “making America great again,” I think it important to remember America remains the greatest nation on earth. It doesn’t have to be made great again. It already is. We are a great nation in crisis – with freedom and liberty under threat because we just can’t see things eye-to-eye and agree to disagree peacefully and with civility.
Where it is written we have to agree on everything? We haven’t been in this much turmoil since the Civil War because we’ve lost our sense of common decency. Our greatest challenge is too much chatter and not enough listening.
When you are talking, you are not listening.
In the time boomers have been walking this apple, just look at our great accomplishments and feel proud of them. We’ve accomplished a lot as a nation in 100 years. Winning World War II gave us the confidence to pursue our continuing greatness. We reigned supreme in two wars a world apart with help from our allies and at great cost. The space race and the Cold War gave us pause when the Soviets sent Sputnik into Earth orbit. The beeping overhead made us uneasy – but determined. Our NASA programs left everyone else across the globe in the dust. JFK’s awe-inspiring speech got us to the Moon before the end of the 1960s.
Not bad considering what we had been through.
Make no apologies, America. We are great and must never give up that belief or let anyone make us believe otherwise. We are a work in progress and always will be.
Democracy isn’t exclusive to America. Freedom and Liberty are not elements we own all by ourselves. There are dozens of nations that enjoy freedom and liberty. A whole lot of them disagree and without it turning into a social media battle. What makes us unique is the world’s desire to be here and enjoy life from sea to shining sea. America has always been a place to feel safe. It isn’t just about freedom and independence, but also the raw beauty of the North American continent. Hop in your car or on a jet and behold what we have before us.
Our division comes from the failure to listen and understand another person’s point of view. Whatever happened to respectful disagreement? It has become “my way or the highway.” Well – let’s try something long-proven for those with an open mind. Be okay with a differing opinion.
I believe I can learn something from someone with whom I disagree.
Boomer Journey... 
You nailed it with common decency. And the ability to disagree without violence. However ignoring the fact that America the Refugee State has eroded the concept of America into a catacomb of hyphenated cultural niches. Unfortunately the concept of America as a unified and unifying force, one nation, etc etc is evaporating as we speak. That is not to say any sloganeering to “fix” America is a correct approach any more than sloganeering for or against any issue is appropriate. But we need to address the erosion as a country, one flag, one nation, or the greatness will be gone and for lack of a national language the babble of the niches will render us incapable of communicating for the greater good. I don’t know about where you live but I can’t talk to anyone at Taco Bell about my order or ask any grocery store employee where to find frozen meatballs. “America” runs on pictographs and rote processes. No wonder divisionary rhetoric reigns.
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