It’s challenging to find a media or information source that doesn’t seem to encourage hate or fear. If hate is un-American, why is there so much hate in America? Let me be clear: I don’t believe we have anywhere near as much hate as we’re told we have.
Part of the great American compromise is an acceptance that others may act differently than you think they should. However, we have systems of governance that allow us to be involved in the laws of the places we live. This system involves a separation of powers between the executive, judicial, and legislative branches of government. Reliance on this system has led to some of the greatest progress humans have ever achieved.
In 1838, Governor Lilburn Boggs signed Executive Order 44, also known as the Mormon Extermination Act. Learning about this at a young age made me realize that government officials could violate the constitutional rights of citizens. This act remained in place until my father was a teenager, a stark reminder of the potential for governmental overreach.
One of America’s greatest strengths is not that it never makes mistakes, but that it can heal from them. I doubt very much that any governor in the country would take such an action in 2024, and that represents impressive progress.
American unity has always been the foundation of our greatest accomplishments. Hate breeds division, and division is un-American.
