I am afraid.
Not for my personal security. I am too old and have been too close to the edge too many times to worry about that.
I fear for my country; the country I have served my entire life, every way I can – at the U. S. Senate for twenty years, in the military during Vietnam, and in the community through various charities I helped create.
I worry about the world our children will inherit.
My concern comes from watching what’s happening around us, the daily drumbeat of disasters on the news, and thinking about them in the context of lessons I learned from two survivors of the holocaust – Viktor Frankl, author of Man’s Search for Meaning, and Henri Landwirth, founder of Give Kids the World.
Both Viktor and Henri warned privately and publicly another holocaust was always possible. They spent much of the last half of their lives telling us to be vigilant least it happen again.
At the time, I didn’t see how that could happen. It is now increasingly clear we ignore that possibility at our peril.
Gregory Stanton, the founder of Genocide Watch, has identified the stages that can cause otherwise decent people to commit murder. He says it starts when a one group defines another as “the other.” “They” are said to threaten “our” interests. Discrimination and dehumanization follow, eroding the in-group’s empathy for the other group.
This leads to increased polarization and the belief that – “You are either with us or against us.” Then true believers are asked to demonstrate their commitment. “Enemies” are identified. Leaders of the opposition are targeted. Death lists are made. Weapons are stockpiled. Physical segregation is enforced. “We” don’t want to live anywhere near “them,” the in-group says. The out-group is forced into ghettos or concentration camps. There they are easily targeted and the massacres and mass murders can begin.
History shows many of the perpetrators of these atrocities have no remorse, not because they are incapable of feeling it, but because they find ways to rationalize it. Bob Macauley, founder of AmeriCares, helped me understand this point years ago when we talked about the genocide in Rwanda. He described some of the horrible atrocities AmeriCares had witnessed, including Hutu men chopping up the children in their villages with machetes.
When I asked how they could possibly do such a thing to children they undoubtedly knew, he said they rationalized it by saying they had no choice. “It was necessary to keep my people safe,” one man said. “Those children would have grown up to come back and kill us.”
We are not there at the moment; but we are not far from there. You can see it bubbling up on the streets, seeping up through the sidewalk, and in the great undercurrents and tides of hate flowing back and forth just below the surface.
Let me be clear. This is not about one side or the other. For those who may think I am talking to the left or the right, get over it. A reaction of that nature is just one more manifestation of how divided we have become. It’s not about “us” or “them.” It’s about us.
No one is exempt. We all have to recognize our responsibility for the world we are living in. No one has said it more clearly than the cartoon philosopher, Pogo. “We have met the enemy and he is us,” he said.
Take a moment and consider that. Have you ever seen our society so polarized? Have you lost friends for political reasons? Are there people you used to talk to that you now avoid? When your family and friends gather are there places you just don’t go? Do you get your information from a single source or can you switch channels back and forth without getting aggravated by what you hear?
It’s hard to tell whether the acrimony we see in our political system is a cause or an effect. What is clear is that each side of the political divide believes the other side is evil. Both sides see the coming election as existential. Neither side believes it can live with other side’s success. If the election is close, neither side will accept the outcome without question.
Inevitably, in that case, the divide will become larger and deeper. This is a recipe for disaster. It will take us to a dark place the likes of which we have never seen in our country’s history.
But there is a light out of this darkness. It begins with the recognition that we have a choice, that America is more “bottom up” than “top down”, and that this country will be whatever we are.
The responsibility is ours, not theirs. The solution to all the problems on the national level starts locally on the personal level with our love for each other, the acceptance of those with differing views, and our denial of the forces that would separate and divide us from one another.
As a child, I often wondered where hell was. Later, I learned the word “hell” comes from the old English. Literally, it means “to separate” or “to build a wall around.” To be “helled” was to be shut off.
Interestingly enough, “diabolic” comes from a word meaning “to divide.” Diabolic forces separate us from each other and God. In our lives they find expression in ego, anger, pride, radical religions, nationalism, racism, envy, ignorance, and greed. These are the forces of darkness. They divide and conquer.
By contrast, “heaven” means “harmony.” If demonic forces divide, love unites.
Peace will not come; we will not see the best of America, until we are able to get beyond the superficial elements that divide us. Our society will not heal until we realize the only thing that separates us from each other is the belief that we are separate.
The answer lies in the distance between saying “I am my brother’s keeper” and saying “I am my brother.”
Bill I would love to post this so many others can read this post. Is there a way for me to do that? Can you email it to me directly and I will send to friends who believe that we have to change the rhetoric to get to the other side of this. We must do this sooner than later. Last nights debate is a perfect example of why we must act now. Kathy
Of course. Thanks for sharing. Hope you are well.
Bill, May I share this also to my friends and family? Louise Wooden Hamilton
Yes, of course. Share it with whoever you like.
Stay well.
Thank you Bill for this incredible information. I have been scared for the past 4 years…Debate last night was a “train wreck” in my opinion.! Very worried what my Great-grandchildren are going in for.
Hope you are well and dodged the Covid thus far. We are good here in little Helper, Utah. Keep up your Great Work.. Louise
Thank you, Bill! This is wonderful and very relevant to today’s times in America and around the world. Love to you and your family, Cuong
Bill- I miss the corned beef sandwich and great conversation at the deli! Thank you for sharing the wisdom of your experience living this life deeply. You make me think of two leaders lost recently whose minds and hearts have challenged us to “get into good trouble” as we strive to get Trump’s “foot off our necks.” I believe that as we strive, we will do more than survive. We will thrive. Take care– Jon
Thanks, Jon. My great comfort is the knowledge that I am not in charge. God willing, this too shall pass and bring us to a better place.
Stay well my friend,
Bill
Do we need to change people or change people or change politics? I remember when all politicians aimed for the middle. When you talk to people, most are in the middle and reasonable. 5 or maybe it’s just 1% on both sides are crazy. But now they are dominant. There is still goodness in America. It is not hard to find. In fact it is hard to find the wicked hearts.
Right now news is created differently than before. It is created by click bait algorithms. Truth and righteousness are not rewarded in those algorithms.
I know you are scared Bill anf6 I understand your reasons for that. But we are still a united people. We are united to do the right thing even if we can get confused along the way. Yes, we create some big holes, but we are gonna dig out. I want you to know that all the work you and your generation and those that came before have not been for naught.
I love your message and am reminded in the best and worst of days that This Too Shall Pass.
Thanks, Nick. You always look for the best. I hope you are right.
Stay well,
Bill
Thank you Bill for always pointing our hearts and mind in the right direction. After last night debate, I was so angry and then I felt hopeless. How can we rise above and move forward? Then I read your beautiful words of wisdom. You and my father, Henri Landwirth, were the best of friends and I am also grateful for you in my life. As you know, my dad just carried on with hope and resilience and did what he could to make a difference in peoples lives. Thank you for keeping his memory alive with your written word, Love and Hate. Stay well and love to you all. Lisa
Thanks, Lisa. Henri was the most remarkable man I ever met. I was honored to be his friend.
Love from all here.
Bill
Yet another brilliant post Bill. Will be sharing with my friends and family. Thank you for keeping Viktor and Henri’s legacy alive and for reminding us of so many critical lessons from history.
Bill, you need to run for the office. I was just telling Miss today that we need someone like you to stand up and bring sense to this world. Keep writing and keep believing. A savior is coming one way or another. Let’s grab coffee soon.
Beautifully written Bill …
My heart hurts after last night but I am certain that god is in the midst of all this.
Bill, thank you for bringing light to darkness, hope to fear, and love to hatred. I needed to read this today. You are truly an inspiration!
Wonderfully said, Bill. As you know probably better than anyone, our dad Henri had an absolute faith in the greatness of this country, and I’m so glad that you’ve reminded us about what he had faith in. I’m pretty sure it is not where we are now.
HI Bill, as you know probably better than anyone, our dad Henri had an absolute faith in the greatness of this country, but I’m not sure that where we are today is what he had that faith in. Hopefully we can all turn it back to what he was so passionately proud of.
Precious Bill
Your voice speaks to me as hope sharing a clear path for another way. Unless we begin to speak truth to each other about what lays on our ♥️ we will continue to walk on by without notice or care. “The other has a sour note we and us together is the way I am thankful for your voice sending 💕 erline
Thanks, Erline. It’s wonderful to hear from you.
I have great faith in my country BUT this upcoming election scares me to death.I am a faithful Republican but I have developed a strong dislike for both candidates And I am helpless to be able to do anything..God Bless Big Halamandaris and all he has done and will continue to do H.Jones
Thanks, Brother Hugh. The best thing you can do is take care of yourself. We need you.
Thanks BIll.
Bill,
Your solution to this mess is the only solution. If Henri was around he would be speaking with the absolute same clarity. I am raising two teenage boys who did not request an invite to this tragic division of people and screwed up direction of America. I pray for calm and reason. Thanks for starting the conversation. CF
Thanks, Chad. It’s wonderful to hear from you.
Thank you, Bill, for yet another beautiful post.