Waking up to a gray and rainy morning, I look upon our fair American landscape. Here in Harrisburg, we are a mere three hour drive from Washington D.C. Where today, June 23, 2016, the Democratic leaders of the House of Representatives are in the midst of a sit-in to compel a vote for gun restrictions for the countless names of suspected terrorists on government watch lists. Protesting the adjournment of the House, Democratic titans started the hashtag "#NoBillNoBreak" in hopes of reopening the House floor to address this issue after the recent shooting deaths of 49 people in an Orlando nightclub. Despite television cameras and microphones being turned off, their voices ring loudly throughout the Capitol and beyond the rain falling down on our fair American landscape that today looks anything but "fair."
The scene is derivative of a problem much larger than one's opinions on gun control, a problem seemingly ancient and deeply ingrained in the hearts and minds of the American people. It is division. A feeling of unease in perpetuity as though our country is once again in the throes of civil war. "Two households, both alike in dignity. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny...Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean," (Shakespeare, I. Prologue. 1, 3-4). Indeed, it is civil blood that cuts this nation in twain. Whether conservative or liberal, black or white, straight or gay, Clinton or Trump, we cannot seem to break free from our labels of division and come together in a time when community and peaceful alliance are more necessary than ever. Rather than see the tragedy in Orlando as a means for uniting behind a common goal, we cling foolishly to divisive opinions and partisan politics, thereby ensuring our eminent demise.
In this present state of political turmoil, we are quick to forget the emotional pain that comes with it. When voicing our opinions can actually lead to losing friends and family, how are we so steadfast in maintaining our ideals? How do we justify turning on one another because of who we intend to vote for? Perhaps it seems juvenile or trite to compare our current circumstance to the themes present in Shakespeare's "Romeo and Juliet," but the interwoven matters of love and violence and death are more real than ever and we would do well to not ignore the truths that history has taught us. Our world is populated by those who hate and seek to destroy, and rather than joining together in arms, excuse the phraseology, we propagate this violence and unrest even in such trivial forms as arguments via social media. By no means are we more forward-thinking and evolved than our predecessors who fought "brother against brother, father against son" merely a century ago in the Civil War. We continue to break down our evermore divided house with our house being so divided.
We must now ask ourselves for what are we fighting. What ends we seek to meet. What could possibly be gained through the tearing down of one another? If our uncertain fortunes can become more certain from a simple observation of the path that history has laid before us, it is not only our will, but our duty to reroute the course on which we currently travel toward true means of peace and relative happiness. Our success lies in the mutual ascension of one another, lifting up our fellow American, our fellow man, rather than using him as a stepladder for political gain or showmanship.
Real and honest change can be accomplished. True peace can be achieved. It is through our actions as individuals that we may change our course as a nation, and we can start right now. We can lay down our swords of opinionated fury, our loaded ideas of division, break free from our heavy labels deeming us Liberal or Conservative and unite behind our perfect name of "human" to propagate peace, proliferate love and grow together in strength, once more earning the title of these United States of America.
