This nation is in the midst of being divided against itself. If the sides remain rigid, how will we ever find workable solutions?

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Abraham Lincoln said in 1858, before the American Civil War, "A house divided against itself, cannot stand."I do not expect the Union to be dissolved "" I do not expect the house to fall "" but I do expect it will cease to be divided. It will become all one thing or all the other."

In the Civil War, the division was about more than racism and slavery and accepting black people into free society. The war was also about states' rights and how much the states could go their own way regardless of what the federal government wanted. It was also about ways of organizing labor, the plantation system or free labor.

This nation finds itself approaching a similar situation now, with one side dominated by a white supremacy narrative, with states' rights again on the agenda as we see in Florida, with the domination of labor by anti-union corporations. Not only states' rights but also individual rights seems be a growing issue, trumping older social norms. Most concerning is that opposing views seem to be demonized, often creating a kind of paranoia. If those with such believes come to power, what would become of those citizens who support abortion and the rights of women or those who support social justice, or more inclusivity for other races, ethnicities, religions, and lifestyles?

If we cannot create an atmosphere of calm acceptance of differences, how will this ever be resolved, hopefully without violence and intimidation.

How would such a structure survive? Does anyone think that all of those with different lifestyles, all of those with different religions, from different races or who just have different ideas about the world they want to live in will just meekly go along with that kind of dominance?

How would a peaceful society ever emerge?

Authors Website: http://substack.com/@bobpassi

Authors Bio:

American democracy is not a static system; it is a living experiment that must be renewed by each generation. Having lived through the arc from the hopeful decades following World War II to the turbulent politics of today, I write with a deep concern for the future of that experiment. I am a retired educator, consultant, and social commentator who has spent a lifetime observing American political and cultural change and advocating for civic engagement and social responsibility. My recent book, Saving Democracy: From the Warnings of 2016 to the Urgency of 2025, updates and expands my original 2016 book. It examines how the United States arrived at its current political crossroads-- and how renewed citizen awareness and engagement may help reclaim the democratic promise. I write regularly at www.perspectives-bobpassi.org and on Substack at bobpassi.substack.com, where I explore democracy, personal empowerment, and the deeper cultural narratives shaping our time. My work focuses on the long arc of American democracy and the cultural forces that shape its future.