The phrase, “United we stand, divided we fall,” attributed to Greek fable author Aesop, was famously used by the Revolutionary firebrand Patrick Henry as he rallied against the Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions. In a great effort at the end of his life, Henry said, “Let us trust our better judgment to set us right hereafter. United we stand, divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.” Community can be diverse or homogeneous, but trust and cooperation are its essence, and survival is its goal.
White folks are not the demons; nor are people of color; not men, nor women; not Jews nor Muslims, Christians, or Atheists. However, identity politics that operate under a zero-sum mentality rather than a win-win mindset is foolish. “A house divided cannot stand.”
Often I feel like one small voice in the dark, helpless to change the direction we now find ourselves in…a retreat to the past rather than a march to the future. But the crescendo of voices of protest rising against Trump policies reminds me I am not alone in wanting America to continue this journey to build a human community that works for all citizens. Join me this November in choosing leaders who want to make America great by unifying the country, not by tearing it apart! Quoting former President Obama, “VOTE!”
