Thursday, October 1, 2026
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United States (WNN) - The United States must once again come together as one nation, just as we did when we were attacked on September 11, 2001. American flags flew from most homes and businesses. Finding one for sale was almost as difficult as finding toilet paper in 2020; everyone wanted one to show their pride in our country. As a nation, we were tired, we were mad, we were proud, most of all, we were united. During the time shortly after those events, American patriotism was at its highest level in decades, yet unfortunately, it faded much too quickly. The response to the very events that brought us together ironically divided us again as a nation. Unfortunately, twenty-four years later, there is not much taught in history classes about those events. Many people who were not yet alive during that time don't understand the full impact those of us who lived through that time felt. They also missed out on what it is truly like to be united as a nation and be proud to be an American. Unfortunately, for much of the 21st century, the United States has been anything other than united.
In his "house divided" speech, Abraham Lincoln famously quoted the words of Jesus from Matthew 12:25 when he said, "A house divided cannot stand." President Lincoln was applying this to the division on the issue of slavery that was ripping the US apart at the seams. Many decades later, we would be brought back together during two world wars, proving how strong this country could be when standing together. Once again, we would drift apart over differences regarding civil rights, unpopular wars, and political scandals. We would stay divided until the above-mentioned events of 9-11. Today, we seem more divided than in most of our lifetimes. Politics, religion, sexual orientation, gun control, abortion, health care, and race relations, among other issues, seem to separate us. This is a recurring theme: unite, divide, unite, divide again, just a continuous circle. It seemed that each time we were reunited as a nation, it was when we had a common enemy that attacked us or threatened our freedom.
Recently, in Charlotte, NC, a 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee female, Iryna Zarutska, was brazenly and brutally stabbed while riding a light rail train. She had fled the Ukraine to come to Charlotte to escape war and violence, only to become the victim of a random attack. Video shows she was listening to AirPods while scrolling on her phone when the man riding in the seat behind her stood up and attacked her. Reportedly, she was on her way home from work. She was probably scrolling through her social media, catching up on news and friends. There would have been no thoughts that she was about to become a trending news story. The other riders watched, looked away, or didn't even see the assault. She spent her last moments alone and ignored. During the past week, closer to home in Cherryville, NC, two violent crimes were committed. A man shot someone on the railroad tracks near Burger King, and an armed robbery took place at Heafner's Superette. Such crimes are very rare in the small town.
I was thinking about the anniversary of 9-11 and these events, wondering how we had become a country so full of hate and division in such a short time. As I pondered this, the news came across about the shooting of Charlie Kirk. A shooting that Utah Governor Spencer Cox has called a political assassination. He was the founder and CEO of Turning Point and host of the "Prove me wrong" live events on college campuses. His mission was to teach young Americans to think for themselves and inform them of the facts about hot-button topics. He did this mainly by inviting people with opposing views to state their opinion and why they felt it was correct, then presenting facts and his opinion. He gave each side something to think about to help them understand why they believe the way they do. While responding to one of these questions on Wednesday, September 10, he was shot in the throat and died shortly after. At 31, he left behind a widow and two young kids, a 1-year-old and a 3-year-old. The nation was stunned that someone would be murdered because someone else didn't agree with his opinion or political alignment. Thousands witnessed this in person, and many more saw the viral videos. At roughly the same time, there was a school shooting in Colorado where two students and the gunman were wounded. No motive has yet been determined, as it is still an ongoing investigation.
The question is, have we forgotten we are human? Whether you agree with someone's political, religious, conservative, or liberal views shouldn't result in doing harm or bringing death to someone.
Since its establishment, America has been a diverse nation—a melting pot of many ethnicities and cultures. We are still a nation of diverse peoples with many different opinions and beliefs. Does the opposition of these differences justify murdering someone? Absolutely, not! It is horrifying and unfathomable to read about or hear of people applauding and cheering someone's death or injuries. These people seem to believe it is OK because the victim didn't think the same as they did. How can anyone believe it is OK to rejoice in the death of someone they disagree with? What has happened to humanity?
We all bleed red. We are all human, whether we act like it or not. We can't survive as a nation and as a race if the hate and violence continue. Together we are strong; divided, we will tend to destroy one another. The only way things will change is if we change. This means we must stop focusing on our differences and see people for their character and not see them for their political or religious views. Let's not wait for another national tragedy to bring us together. Once again, we have a common enemy, and that enemy is evil. As Edmund Burke said, "the only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." Tired of the violence, hate, and evil? If you believe in God, prayer is the best place to begin. Whether or not you are spiritual, it is critical to start acting with human decency again. Treat others with respect and don't readily dismiss their opinions and beliefs. We must remember we are all human and not see each other as enemies just because we don't agree on every issue. Maybe if one day we set aside our differences and see others as another person, overlooking where we differ, we can try it another day. We might just realize we are more alike than different. Does it really matter that someone else likes things differently from us? If we want our cities, nation, and world to improve, we must be better. Actions are contagious; it's better to spread kindness than hate. Things cannot continue as is; we must do better. It's time we return the "united" to the United States of America.
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