“A house divided against itself cannot stand,” said Abraham Lincoln when he talked about the sectionalism that separated the North and South. But that quote still applies everywhere. There are so many different issues in our nation because we all are not on the same page. We are still arguing from CDC mandates to women’s rights.

Unfortunately, we are not as united as we used to be in 1914. The World Wars and our focus on winning the war and our patriotism to our country brought us together. But after the pandemic, the January 6th riot, and Uvalde school shooting, people are losing morale and faith in our nation. People’s reluctance to fight or stand up for their beliefs and rights are proof of that. It’s a wonder why some people cannot remember that the US is a melting pot of different ethnicity and races. That a different ethnicity or culture doesn’t make anyone less American. What is wrong with being a certain ethnicity or color? It’s something we as people can’t change. We can’t decide who we are born to or who our family members are. But we can decide our actions. There have been many movements from Black Lives Matter to Stop Asian Hate, but the most fundamental thing is that we all are Americans and we should be treated as citizens of America.

America may be a capitalist country, but the path we are headed harms us more than helps us. What good is money, when we can’t even help the people who have to stay in shelters? What good is money, when there are so many people dying?

Now, I’m not saying capitalism is awful, it’s not. We have our freedom to use and own our possessions and new opportunities are available for everyone who is dedicated enough to search for it, but the byproduct of these choices increases gender, wealth, and social inequality.

Our own selfish desire for growth is increasing as our desire for unity is fading. Many people just want to make more money without a care on how it affects others.

We all live in America. We all are affected by what happens in America. So, why don’t we fight for our right to life, liberty, and pursuits of happiness in America?

A house divided cannot stand.

Then maybe it is time we join together.

By Debkonya Banerjee, online editor