I admit,
I’m not a political person.
I never watch CNN or Fox News,
and I’m not ashamed to say,
I didn’t know the difference
between Democrat and Republican
until fourth grade.

But I know right from wrong,
good from bad,
compassion from cruelty,
peace from chaos,
unity from division.
My parents taught me those.
I thought all parents taught their children those.

Then why, when I go on the media,
do I only see
ugly words distorted from anger.
Manipulation spinning threads
around and around.
Chaos, not creative chaos,
destructive chaos, meant to mince you down,
shred you until there’s nothing left for the vultures.
Ire and rage,
hate and disdain,
mockery and ridicule.

“Trump got Covid!” a comment snarls,
“I hope he goes to hell!”
“Biden’s stupid!” another comment growls,
“Go back to whatever basement you crawled out of!”
I saw Democrat against Republican.
I saw blue against red.
I saw donkey against elephant.
I saw politician against politician.
I saw American against American.

Are we not the United States of America?
Are we not one family,
one country,
one nation?
Are we not suffering together,
rejoicing together?
Are we not all neighbors,
all friends,
all patriots?

Are we not the United States of America?
Home of the brave,
land of the free?
What is bravery,
if you slash at others
just to make yourself feel better?
What is freedom,
if you can’t trust your own neighbors
to respect your ideas?
Our Founding Fathers told us,
“Join together or die”.
Do these words not apply now?
Is Trump not our president,
our leader?
Is Biden not a man willing to risk his health for us, 
the people?

Are we not the United States of America?
United,
under God?
Indivisible,
with liberty and justice for all?
Why do we fight amongst ourselves?
Why do we push each other apart,
rip down the bridges and build the boundaries?
Why do we roar at each other like naive tigers
while the hunters watch gleefully,
waiting for one of us to get hurt,
then pick us off one by one?

Are we not the United States of America?
Are we not the people of America?
Are we not One?