Mainstream America the hope of a nation

Mainstream America the hope of a nation - Bill Wilson - www.dailyjot.com

 

There are many people predicting civil war in the United States. Others ponder the possibility that the nation already is under a massive coup attempt by leftist forces that include the Democratic Party and its allies in the mainstream media. Notwithstanding the ferocious and relentless attack on the office of the President since before he took office, the vicious narrative fomented by the left, the verbal and physical attacks on those supporting the current President, and the fake news emanating from those collective attacks almost prove the point that America is being torn apart by a civil war and a coup attempt. The louder the visceral, the harder it is to see the true America.

 

Last weekend, I attended my 45th high school class reunion. I hadn't seen some of these folks since graduating in 1973. It further impressed upon me why Ohio is such a bellwether for predicting who wins presidential elections. While our school was not racially diverse, it was diverse in other ways. Our school was a mixture of farmers, factory workers, service providers, government employees, small business owners, professionals and executives. They are Democrat, Republican, Independent and probably apolitical. There are diverse interests from car racing to horses to dogs to sports to food (especially food). There is a wide range of financial status. And when we get together, there is diverse conversation.

 

This is mainstream America. These are the quiet people who love their families, do their jobs, enjoy their downtime, and believe in the American dream. They don't meddle in other people's business. They treat others as they would like to be treated. In talking with them, politics was not at the center of the conversations. But it did come up in very respectful and thoughtful ways. I observed that the vast majority of my classmates love their country. They may have differing opinions on how to solve its problems, but they respect one another's opinion and are willing to listen to it. Many of them, in fact, most, are skeptical of the mainstream media. Some don't even watch the news because they don't know what to believe.

 

These Ohio men and women are real people. They are not radicals. They have a stake in the country. They want the best for their children and grandchildren. They are willing to give a chance to whatever President is voted into office. They don't appreciate being labeled if they disagree. They are not hostile, but they will get their backs up if pushed into it. They are the salt of the earth who stand in the breech between liberty and tyranny. This is the America that the radicals both despise and misunderstand. As Christ said in Matthew 5:37, "But let your communication be, Yes, yes; No, no: for whatever is more than these comes of evil." You will always know where you stand with them. Getting together with these folks renewed my hope in the American ideal. There are more of us than there are the radicals. We are not as loud, but we are more resolved.