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USA Or Just ‘US’?

“We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

These were words which flowed from the pen of Thomas Jefferson as he composed that document called the Declaration of Independence, created in 1776, the document which formed the foundation of this new nation. Because of the intensity of the proposal for independence, unanimity was vital to the new country named the UNITED States of America (USA). The colony representatives thought it was of the utmost importance that independence be unanimously proclaimed.] There was also discussion of when the declaration was finalized and if/when the vote for independence was successful, the need for everyone present to sign the document was also emphasized, comically stated by Benjamin Franklin as he addressed the delegates with the words, “We must, indeed, all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”

So, our forefathers, after discussion of the declaration, and completing a colony vote of 12 for, 0 against, and 1 abstention, approved creation of a country governed with a democratic philosophy, a government of the people, by the people, and for the people. All three of those stipulations include the word PEOPLE. None of those conditions differentiate among, or segregate people into groups. It didn’t describe people by using specific/certain adjectives referring to, or regarding, races, colors, creeds, genders, orientations, political affiliations, interests or anything else.

Last February, we heard chants of “USA, USA,” especially with Gold Medal Cinderella stories of USA Men’s Curling, USA Women’s Hockey, and USA’s Jessie Diggins/Kikkan Randall in Cross Country Skiing, but that which unified this country for those three weeks, only masked the divisions within it with snow and ice during those Winter Olympics games.

We, in this country, are divided in different ways. Much of that is of our own doing. We’ve divided ourselves by stereotyping, bigotry, prejudice, hatred, non-tolerance, politics, jealousy, greed, pettiness, ego, and our need to feel superior to others, and often times those divisions cultivated, and sometimes fertilized, in the numerous forms of media (most recently social) to which we’ve become addicted.

In the political world, the shift has gone from the sense of patriotism and debate for the betterment of the USA, to battles between “US” and “THEM.” What the sports world used to bill as the “Fight of the Week,” the political arenas on national to local levels has fed the many levels of media (especially social) in bringing us the “Fight of the Day” (sometimes the hour).

Our country has still suffered symptoms of, often breaking out in doses of epidemic proportions, racial dissent. Many won’t get over the colorblindness within themselves to live by those words written by Jefferson back in the days of the Continental Congress. It’s become a battle of “US” versus “THEM” in many places throughout our country. It’s been a debate of “US” versus “THEM” regarding law enforcement, and/or the National Anthem of this US of A.

Our country’s eyes have been blackened by stories of sexual harassment and scandals, reaching the public eye more and more these days, stories and acts, horrendous and intolerable, but the direction a lot of the media coverage and debates have taken have now veered off the main road of the disgust of mistreatment of one gender by another into a men versus women debate, in other words, another “US” versus “THEM” argument. This debate has branched out into areas of equal opportunity, equal pay for the same job, even in our own city, as our city council is now being referred to as one having a majority of women. Why isn’t is being billed as a group of nine PEOPLE dedicating themselves to the betterment of the city of Jamestown?

I’ve worked with, and for, many men in my life and some of them have been good working relationships, and some, not so good. I’ve also worked with, and for, many women in my life and some of those working relationships have been good ones, and some, not so good. I prefer to think that I’ve worked with, and for, many PEOPLE in my life and some of the working relationships have been good ones, and some, not so good.

I don’t believe in some being chosen for jobs based on different criteria (race, creed, color, gender, etc.), but rather by the criteria that the best qualified PERSON gets the job. I don’t believe in higher pay given to some people based on gender, but I do believe in pay levels being the same for the same jobs, and seniority (again, based on similar job descriptions) being a factor in pay raises. Why can’t every PERSON be paid the same for the same assignment on the pay scale, and receive increases in pay as that same pay scale is designed, with regards to step, level, seniority, or specifications (not based on gender) regarding bonus opportunities, being the determining factors?

There are thoughts and feelings of differentiation between people who believe in religion and those who don’t, evidenced in the removal of statues and The Ten Commandments being removed from public buildings in places across the country. Seems like another battle of “US” versus “THEM.” Let those who believe and practice their faith do so. Let those who don’t, be respected for their choice not to do so, and let both camps respect each other’s right to believe what they believe.

There are discussions and feelings regarding LGBTQ. For many who disagree with the lifestyles of many other people across this country, this could be perceived as another example of “US” versus “THEM.” If people live their lives within the limits of the law, and live their lives as productive citizens of this country, anyone should be able to be who they are, feel what they feel, and dress how they wish, again, as long as they do it within the limits of the laws of our country. People in the LGBTQ community should not be referred to, or treated like, a “them” in another war of “US” versus “THEM.”

We are a nation divided, a world divided, but that many divisions have been self-imposed. If we jump on one bandwagon of discussion or disagreement, without being tolerant or understanding, we’re then a part of the cause of division. This doesn’t mean we have to agree with all ideas and philosophies; we just need to be respectful and tolerant of the ideas of others. We need to start looking at each other as Americans, or People, without the separatist adjectives in front of those words. Maybe, then, we can begin to patch the divisional cracks which separate many.

We are AMERICANS. We shouldn’t be segregated by the sub titles of Democratic Americans, Republican Americans, Liberal Americans, or Conservative Americans. We should not be grouped as Black Americans, White Americans, or any of the numerous Ethnic-American labeled groups used so much today. We shouldn’t be “teamed” as Female Americans, Male Americans, Gay Americans, Lesbian Americans, or Transgender Americans. We should not be grouped as Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, or Jewish Americans. We shouldn’t put ourselves in groups and keep referring to those in one group as “US,” and those in other groups as “THEM.” We should all be in the group of “US,” representing all residents of the USA. Let’s stop the separating, segregating, and grouping of PEOPLE in our country and our communities. Wouldn’t that go a long way to returning this country to what our forefathers had in mind when they started this nation, when they penned the statement that “all men (people) are created equal,” and that all of “US” in the USA, no matter what our political affiliation, race, creed, color, religion, gender, orientation, interests, and/or ethnicity might be, we may all enjoy those same rights of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness? Isn’t that who we celebrate this Memorial Day, those who gave their lives to protect those freedoms given by those forefathers?

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