But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!

Amos 5:28

Today, I am standing on a bank of a river contemplating life. The river is peaceful and in the early morning light the only thing stirring is deer. It would be easy to forget every care . I am thankful to for the tranquility.

But this morning I am contemplating the unexplainable. After a very high profile trial, the country that I love is more divided than ever. I followed the proceedings and felt assurance that the legal system works. Rule of law is more than a concept in America.

However, many others near and dear to me are talking about “sham” trials. They compare a man convicted of felonies, with numerous other charges pending, and several prior unfavorable court rulings to Jesus. They don’t refute the crimes per se, but engage in endless what aboutisms. Yes, he did it…..but what about her…..what about him. He is our leader right or wrong.

I can’t make it make sense. So, I stand by the river and I think about justice flowing like a river and a never ending stream of righteousness. To quote d’Touqueville, “America is great because America is good.” If we no longer believe in the rule of law; if party, power, or allegiance to one man is more important than our foundational civic principles….I don’t know where that leaves us.

Like many Americans, I am unsure how we got here. As a historian and social scientist, I can point to moments in time when political strategies changed. I can point to the rise of Christian Nationalism and the co-mingling of politics and religion. I can speak to the record of policy changes and economic peaks and troughs. But I can’t pinpoint the moment that party and partisan ideology became more important than country and democratic ideals.

I stand here and watch the water flow. How did who is right become more important than what is right? When did policy debate start becoming personal attacks on the very essence of identity? I have always been suspicious of identity politics. These exclusive alliances insist that individuals concur with the group stance in order to keep status within the group. To be a good (fill in the blank), you must think and vote in a certain way or you are suddenly the enemy. Policy disagreements turn quickly into personal exclusion.

The great “othering” occurs when humans decide that only their “clan” has the truth. Only they are good. Only they are smart. Only they have the answers. The “others” are evil, lazy, stupid, etc. Truth warriors pick up the mantel against the lies of the others. As a historian, I know this kind of thinking leads to discord and decline. It has long been a tactic to grab and hold power. In the short term it allows those who are willing to exploit these base tendencies immense power. In the long term, it always separates, divides, and stunts the growth of nations. In most extreme cases there is violence, bloodshed, and genocide.

Othering stems from lack of empathy. Empathy is the ability to experience another person’s condition from their perspective. It is the desire to understand others and take an active interest in their concerns. Empathy demands that we look at multiple perspectives. Empathy induces intellectual humility, the understanding that there is always more to learn. It helps understand that there is more than one point of view, more than one solution to a problem, more than one viable policy choice. It suggests that the best approach is often complex and may be contingent on changing circumstance.

Hyper partisanship is often the opposite. It requires allegiance and conformity. It casts all other ideas as inferior or evil. It suggests that only the party faithful have valid perspective and life experience. This kind of thinking is always dangerous. It is hubris writ large, and should have no place in a democratic society.

These are heavy thoughts on a lovely day. I am only one woman, who cherishes her friends, family, and country. I am saddened by the divisions. Historical patterns tell me that we will ride this wave of partisan identity until either we reach ruin or until good people rise up to reunify and work together through differences. It will require us to value and work toward the common good. The choice is ours. Meaningful personal connections or partisan walls. So let the river roll. Let justice come. Let righteousness rain down upon us. Let me remember that issues are always more complex than a single viewpoint and people are always more important than platforms. May I understand that each person must live by their own conscience. Let me be intellectually humble and boldly empathetic. Let me live like the change I hope to see in the world. Let it begin with me.