Diversity or
Balkanization?
Charlie Earl
On a recent
Friday in December I had the pleasure of having lunch with a group of men who
feel the need to discuss the goings-on of our nation and the world in an
orderly and civil fashion. Following the meal, we discovered that we had neatly
resolved every issue, and then, new ones popped up on the radar as we
dispersed. Seriously, one of the points of discussion centered on whether or
not it is possible to return our nation to its constitutional foundation. Whew,
it was not exactly an easy lunch-time topic to resolve. In my view, our
diversity has helped make us the economic engine that we have become. People
migrated here from many cultures and many countries bringing their best ideas
and dreams with them.
We’ve undergone
an ominous transformation however, the diversity that made us stronger has
developed into deep fissures that divide us. Rather than a melting pot of
Freedom’s soup, we are now the segregated morsels on a toddler’s plate….ever
fearful that our tastes and flavors may mix and create an unpalatable
concoction. We are now a nation that is
tragically divided. Not only by our various heritages and cultures, but we are
also rendered apart by our varying visions for the future of our republic. We
have become a “nation” of isolated interests with an ever-fading historical
memory of our recent past. We are emerging as a cluster of barely-aligned
constituencies in a land of vast resources and raucous disagreements.
Although we
are a nation of “united” states, our country did not spring to life in 1787. Remember,
we were 13 distinct colonies with much in common but with vast differences as
well. Southern planters and northern merchants struggled to out-maneuver one
another in the halls of power. Established towns and communities sought to
exercise control over the sprouting villages near the frontier. As state after
state was admitted to the union, new differences were added to the mix of
already existent ones. Consider that the final two--- Alaska and Hawaii, admitted
in 1959—are radically different from one another. It does not require a great
leap of imagination to understand that many of our 50 states could hold
significantly different priorities and values from some of the others. What has
transpired in recent times is that our differences have become more pronounced
and our common threads appear to be unraveling.
Complicating
the seeming diversity among our states is the plethora of special interests
within each of them. My home state of Ohio, for example, has agricultural and
rural, urban and labor union, suburban and white collar sectors. Each of
demographic groups has specific interests and priorities. When merged with
racial or historical cultural components, Ohio’s variety may rival the nation’s.
But each state does have some shared interests among its people such as
proximity, weather patterns, legislative actions and integrated local
communities. Our differences are softened when we come face to face with those
who are not exactly like us. It seems to me that we have become too fractured,
too disparate and too antagonistic to continue to function effectively as a
nation. We resemble a team of runaway horses pulling a rickety wagon.
There are so
many problems and issues in our grand country of 312 million citizens. Fiscal
irresponsibility, moral quicksand, dimming hopes of prosperity for future
generations, and a world gone mad are all vying for our constant vigilance. Just
as some marriages or relationships have been broken because of tough times or
tragedy, our nation may have to face the prospect of reassembling and
restructuring our boundaries and our coalitions. If that should come to pass,
let’s try to work through it methodically and peacefully. I know this column
may appear pessimistic about the fate of our nation, but I fear we have some
very tumultuous times ahead. A nation is more than borders and bridges. It is a
collection of people who share a vision and a purpose. My hope is that as we go forward, our vision
is worthy and our purpose is strong. We must never forfeit our liberty for some
false hope and immoral scheme. Have a blessed, safe and Happy New Year.
Charlie Earl
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