Dennis Broomell is a resident of Townsend.
The United States is currently at a crossroad. We are the most divided that we have been, as a government and a people, since the Civil War. The question everyone asks is: Who is to blame? Is it the left? Is it the right? Is it the media? If you ask a conservative, a liberal, a Democrat or a Republican, they will only blame each other. For centuries, violence has been our answer to anyone who disagrees with our own points of view in this country. We see it almost every day in the media we consume, whether it’s the news, movies or TV shows. Examples of violence through history include the assassinations of four U.S. presidents and of 14 U.S. congressmen, with the number of incidents growing over the decades.
I am not a Democrat. I am not a Republican. I am not a liberal. I am not a conservative. I have views on both sides. I vote for people who most align with my political views. On June 14, Melissa Hortman, a Democratic member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, was assassinated. On Sept. 10, Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist, was assassinated. I did not agree with most of Charlie Kirk’s views, but he did not deserve the violence that was bestowed upon him or his family. Charlie Kirk utilized his First Amendment right of free speech to have political conversations with anyone who wanted to engage with him, regardless of his or her political beliefs. That is what this country was built on and what it should continue to be built on. If we don’t believe in this and must turn to violence, then the First Amendment should be done away with. I’ll give an example from my personal life: I have a cousin who is a devout Republican, I have an uncle who is a devout Republican, and I have friends who are devout Republicans. I will engage them in debates regarding our political ideologies in person and on social media. At the end of the day, we all can believe what we want, but one thing we have in common is that we love this country. We want our country to remain the nation that symbolizes freedom.
It is my firm belief that anyone in a government position represents the people, not just citizens of his or her state but all Americans. It is the responsibility of the president, the Senate, the House of Representatives and the Supreme Court to protect the rights guaranteed by our Declaration of Independence and Constitution. The government works for the people and not the other way around. The purpose of our legislature is for the parties to come together to present arguments and evidence for those arguments, and then compromise. Our beautiful nation has continued to become more divided, evidenced by the recent violence against both Democrats and Republicans. As more violence takes place, the divide becomes deeper, and both sides go on the offensive to blame one another. The example that our government sets is then interpreted and presented by the media for all Americans to see. Our government sets an example for the state of the nation and for all Americans. As an ordinary citizen, no one will listen to what I have to say; I don’t have a platform for it. If this continues, it will surely lead to a civil war because violence only brings more violence. Hatred only breeds more hatred. Violence has a cause-and-effect relationship on freedoms when we are not allowed to practice those freedoms. What’s the point of free speech if, at the end of the day, it will only end with a bullet to the neck?
I propose a solution. Contact your local and national representatives. Take a stand against the violence and urge them to stop following party lines and, instead, listen to the American people. I look at the state of our country and how it was as I grew up. No government is perfect, but is this the legacy we want to leave our children and grandchildren? Absolutely not! I want my children — and one day, my grandkids — to have the same rights as I have had my whole life. And I want the same for all Americans. Thomas Jefferson once said, “The purpose of government is to enable the people of a nation to live in safety and happiness. Government exists for the interests of the governed, not for the governors.” So, ask yourself: Is your government working for you or are you working for your government? Are you feeding into the divide or are you willing to sit down, have a conversation and compromise for the health and safety of our country?
Reader reactions, pro or con, are welcomed at civiltalk@iniusa.org.
