On this Independence Day, I find myself reflecting not just on our country’s founding ideals, but on how far we’ve drifted from them. Today, Donald Trump said of Democrats: “I hate them. I cannot stand them, because I really believe they hate our country.”
This isn’t leadership. It’s not patriotism. It’s pure division — and it’s tearing us apart.
Over the last decade, I’ve watched countless families break apart, lifelong friendships vanish, and conversations grow silent out of fear that just mentioning his name will spark anger. I’ve felt it in my own life, and I know I’m not alone.
Whatever our political beliefs, we deserve better than a leader who fuels hatred to pit us against each other. We should be striving for understanding, for unity, for the shared hope that brought this nation into being.
We can disagree without despising each other. We must.