My parents both grew up in small rural towns in upstate New York; their existence sustained by farming and the railroad. It is a place I’ve come to know well over 60 years of visits. Like my parents, most of their neighbours are conservatives—hardworking, kind people who believe in family values and the American dream.
I was surprised on my family visit last week to see not just conservative, Trump signs, but also yards decorated with handmade window posters calling for people to make America kind again.
These shows of courage reminded me that the myth of division in America has become so prominent, that it has turned into a dangerous norm. One we need to reject as it is not grounded in reality and data. It is perpetuated by self-interested politicians (on all sides) who have spun a story of division and fear for their own individual gain. Ordinary citizens have become trapped in this web of division. We’ve become frozen and mistakenly think that we are alone.
Yet, when we look at the data, we have way more in common. Americans all want meaningful jobs, quality healthcare as a human right, equal treatment for all, the freedom to share our views and to practise whatever religion we choose, clean air, water and protected natural spaces for generations to come, to protect our precious democracy, and to be good global citizens. This study from Populace shows us just how aligned we are in our aspirations.
As I stood in front of these lawns peppered with messages craving kindness and protection of our democracy, I thought about how we can break from the web of division and towards the world we all want. It reminded me of a quote from Nelson Mandela, the former President of South Africa:
It is not our diversity which divides us; it is not our ethnicity, or religion or culture that divides us. Since we have achieved our freedom, there can only be one division amongst us: between those who cherish democracy and those who do not.
Nelson Mandela
A recent poll showed three quarters of Americans feel like the issues dividing the nation are a serious threat to democracy. And the same number fear politically motivated violence, as we sadly saw in Utah recently. The scary thing is that people are so frightened that they are now doing what Populace calls “self-silencing”—not just a few, over 63% of us are not speaking up for what we stand for. This is true for not just what is happening in America, but as we stand by and watch over 32 violent conflicts impacting the daily lives of over 2 billion people around the world.
Those unexpected flags and signs in upstate New York signalled that perhaps that tide is turning, and we are realising that we are not alone, we are not divided, and that we are deeply connected by a desire for a common thread of kindness.
United Kindness is the best path for us to protect our democracy. We have an opportunity and a responsibility to come together and protect what is important. To callout and stop the division and fear.
Ps. I was also inspired to put a “United Kindess” sign on my front lawn.
Nelson Mandela
