In the
United States, we stand on the edge of a war that may bring disunity
to our nation.
It is quite possible that we will soon be at war
with Iraq and once again attempt to defeat our old enemy, Saddam
Hussein.
While I watch the news and listen to the conversations
of my peers about this controversial subject, I wonder what the
greatest threat to our nation really is. Is it a war with Iraq,
or is it the idea of a growing disunity in the “United”
States?
In Washington, the politicians face off with President
George W. Bush standing on the side of war and Secretary of State
Colin Powell maintaining that United Nations inspection teams are
preferable to military action.
The differing opinions of these two politicians may seem typical,
but if the United States does go to war with Iraq, I fear that Bush
and Powell will each hold a banner that politicians and average
citizens alike with be forced to choose to flock behind.
Is our nation about to be polarized by a war? Are we so blinded
by controversy and the events of September 11 that we can forget
what happened during the Vietnam era?
The controversy over the Vietnam War left scars on the United States.
It left leaders and citizens on opposite sides of the issue standing
in vicious and sometimes violent disagreement. Even soldiers who
bled for their country in Vietnam were often looked upon with contempt
and disrespect.
During and after the Vietnam War, the United States could hardly
be called “united.” We were divided, but not by a line
on a map. We were divided by the ideological disagreement of two
factions.
After 9-11, the United States experienced unity on a level my generation
has never seen before. Despite the tragedy of the events that took
place, our country was possibly more united than it had ever been
before.
Americans had a new sense of pride in the nation. We wrote songs
and poetry expressing that pride. We placed bumper stickers and
American-flag decals on our cars. Are we still united a year later?
If we allow our country to divide again, as it did during the Vietnam
era, then Iraq will no longer be our greatest enemy. Even the threat
of terrorism will rank below disunity.
If Americans are to remain united, we cannot allow a difference
of opinion to attack us and tear us apart from the inside.
I fear if we become polarized, disunity may cause more damage than
any terrorist action. A spark of disunity could ignite a flame that
would burn our nation severely.
The motto of the United States is “E Pluribus Unum,” which
means “Out of the Many, We Are One.” Straying away from
that motto is our nation’s greatest enemy. |
