“Where were you when the world stopped turnin'
that September day?”
Are those words familiar to you? They might be if you are a country music fan (“County and Western” if you are old school).
“Did you stand there in shock at the sight of that black smoke
Risin' against that blue sky?
Did you shout out in anger, in fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry?”
The terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001 brought many of us together in ways that few modern events can. Country singer Alan Jackson wrote a song about it several months later.
“Did you go to a church and hold hands with some strangers
Stand in line to give your own blood?
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love?”
Now 23 years later, I’m hearing politicians, pundits, and talk show hosts calling for unity following the suspected assassination attempt against former president Donald Trump.
“Did you burst out with pride for the red, white, and blue
And the heroes who died just doin' what they do?
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself and what really matters?”
What does unity mean? Dictionary.com offered this definition, “oneness of mind, feeling, etc., as among a number of persons; concord, harmony, or agreement.”
We could unite as one in condemning violent acts that like one that killed a man, severely injured two others and forced a presidential candidate to the ground after he got grazed in his ear at that Pennsylvania rally.
An awful moment was almost even more terrible.
We could unite on a shared mission to be decent people…to genuinely care about our communities and not just the people who wear the same color jersey that we do.
We could unite on the pledge to reject any candidate for office who stands for violence, praises it or thrives on the threat of it.
“Did you notice the sunset for the first time in ages
And speak to some stranger on the street?
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun?”
Can a president — any president — bring unity to the country, not temporary unity like after 9/11 but lasting unity?
There are so many forces determined to divide us, not unite us. Some politicians push for division. So do social media and talk shows.
There are opportunities to push for unity….a presidential address to the nation, a speech at a national convention. But those are moments in time. What happens weeks later when we aren’t seeing video of the assassination night after night? How are those politicians behaving, talking and tweeting then?
Are they doing anything to unite more of us or are they focused on dividing some of us?
“But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith, hope, and love are some good things He gave us
And the greatest is love.”
Or is striving for unity our responsibility, regardless of what politicians do or say long after that ear bandage is gone?
Should Joe Biden stay in the race or retire? — Iowa Democratic National Committee member Scott Brennan estimates that there is a 70% chance that Biden leaves the race. Watch why he told me that in this week’s “Inside Iowa Politics.”
Where are they? — I joined the round table on “Iowa Press” this week on Iowa PBS where we wondered where the candidates are this summer. You can see that here.
Selective buyers — On the American Farmland Owner podcast this week, an industry insider explained why certain types of agricultural land aren’t as appealing right now. Find out what’s happening here.
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This picture stood out to meet from the Republican National Convention.