The
other day, a profound numbness came over me. It wasn’t caused by a single headline but by hours
of relentless news at my mother’s house, where the local station is often on. It was a culmination of not just
the one day of news but a month or more of hearing the bombardment of
negativity being spewed by the local news station. Story after story of tragedy, anger and division wore me down until my
emotions felt trapped in a cycle without resolution. I am beyond heartbroken of news
over the last several weeks, maybe even months and possibly years of hearing of
innocent people losing their lives at the hands of what I only could call the
devil in human disguise. But I’m trying
to keep to most recent times. No matter
where you stand, I turned to prayer, but instead of finding answers, I was left with
only with more questions. As it often
happens when the weight of the world presses in, insomnia came to visit again.
What
troubles me most is not only the events themselves, but how deeply fractured
our country has become. Regardless of
political leanings, most of us agree, we want what’s best for America. Yet, the
way we are pursuing it often feels destructive, less about compromise and more
about vilifying one another. Disagreement
has become disdain, and disdain has become division, which often leads to
violent behaviors being exposed.
As a
first-generation American, this breaks my heart, it goes against everything I
was taught and lead to believe what made America so different and envied by
those who would do just about anything to escape their homelands to have a
chance at opportunity, freedom and a better life. We, as Americans are supposed to be the
example and the light for the rest of the world to follow. My parents came to this country with little
more than determination and a belief that America offered opportunity if you
were willing to work hard. They became
naturalized citizens, raised me to value integrity, kindness, and perseverance
and taught me to be the best I could be at whatever I chose to do. Those values shaped my life. At one time, these same values once shaped
much of our national identity. Today, however, they are too often drowned out
by the noise of partisan extremes.
The
Pledge of Allegiance speaks “one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty
and justice for all.” Lately, we seem
anything but indivisible. It appears to
me more we label ourselves and each other, by race, politics, gender, or beliefs,
the more fragmented and divided we become. Even our flag and the mention of
God, symbols meant to unite us, now spark contention. Instead of finding strength in diversity, we
seem to treat differences as lines that cannot be crossed.
Our nation has become a nation of political extremes rather
than a compassionate nation lead by leaders of both parties whose polarized
extremes are promoting agendas which are subliminally fed through gas lighting
truths to us through mainstream media and social networking. This is not what our America is about!
This
division plays out most starkly in how stories are told. Some tragedies dominate headlines for weeks,
while others are barely mentioned. Recently,
when a young Ukrainian woman recently lost her life to senseless violence, the
coverage was minimal. Yet in another case, a Marine veteran who acted to
protect subway passengers was thrust into the spotlight, vilified long before
his acquittal. These contrasts fuel mistrust and frustration.
The
point is not to deny the complexity of these events but to ask: why do we
measure outrage differently depending on who is involved? Why do some victims become symbols while
others are forgotten? When media
narratives amplify certain stories and minimize others, public trust erodes,
and resentment grows.
The
truth is, these tragedies, whether mass shootings, political violence, or
targeted attacks are not just isolated events. They are symptoms of something deeper: the
erosion of civil discourse, the normalization of hostility and the failure of
our institutions to protect the vulnerable.
For me,
the breaking point came with the shocking assassination of Charlie Kirk in
September 2025. Regardless of one’s
views of him, his murder polarized the nation further instead of prompting
sober reflection. Violence should never
be a substitute for debate. Our
Constitution protects the right to disagree, without that, democracy itself
crumbles.
I ask, where
do we go from here? I believe our nation
needs a reset, a collective reminder that being American comes before being
Republican or Democrat. We need leaders
who can rise above partisan loyalty and remember that compromise is not
betrayal. Just as importantly, we need citizens willing to listen to one
another without assuming the worst.
America
has always been strongest when diverse voices contribute to a shared future. Think of a hearty soup: each ingredient has
its own flavor, but together they create something greater. After September 11, 2001, we saw what unity
could look like. For a brief moment, differences faded as Americans stood
shoulder to shoulder in grief and resolve. If we could find that spirit once,
we can find it again.
But
unity doesn’t begin in Washington or on the evening news. It begins with us as individuals, taking the
first steps. With saying “I love you”
more often. With listening to people
whose views we don’t share, not to argue but taking time to understand. With performing one small act of kindness,
expecting nothing in return. Healing won’t come from a single sweeping gesture,
it will come from millions of small ones.
History
offers hopeful reminders. President
Ronald Reagan and Speaker Tip O’Neill often clashed bitterly on policy, yet
they found ways to work together and even maintained a close friendship built
on mutual respect. Their example shows how
disagreement does not have to end in destruction; it can coexist with decency.
Tonight,
I may still wrestle with sleeplessness. I may still pray for answers that don’t come
easily. But I will hold on to this
belief: America can still reclaim its better self. We can still choose reconciliation over
resentment, compassion over contempt and unity over division.
The
choice is ours. We can let our fractures
deepen until they break us or we can begin stitching the torn fabric of our
nation back together. Our nation cannot
begin to heal until the day we realize the proverbial saying, “the right wing
and the left wing are part of the same bird, only then can it fly” (like an
eagle to make America great). The latter
part of the sentence in parenthesis is my creative license to be applicable to this post.
For my part, I choose to believe that each of
us can play a role in healing. Maybe, if,
just enough of us do our small part, then one day soon I and many others will finally
be able to get a good night’s sleep.
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