I was thinking about this holiday season and the division the country is experiencing due to identity politics. One research study by social psychologists found, “1 in 5 adults is estranged from a close relative due to political differences. One-third of American adults reported feeling uncomfortable at family gatherings because of political views, and many feel justified in treating each other with disdain.”

I believe Mark 3:25, “If a house is divided against itself, that house cannot stand”, references losing the Holy Spirit. Our Framers didn’t hold hands and sing in harmony while drafting our founding governing documents, they were bitter rivals with differing goals for this new country, yet these brilliant yet flawed humans took the best from past societies and injected new societal protections to launch a still unrivalled governing concept of a self-correcting society. On June 16, 1858, famous “The House Divided Speech” was given by future president of the United States Abraham Lincoln. Per archives.gov, “It has often been said that the Civil War pitted brother against brother and friend against friend.” We lost and regained our American Spirit, but violent division cost 655,000 lives because many didn’t believe in our Founding tenet that “all men were created equal.”

Since the Civil War, we lost and regained our America Spirt many times on our journey toward the Promised Land. Society unravels when we view others as evil and forgo due process and the rule of law to get our way. America was built on peacefully disagreeing with each other and holding each other accountable for our actions or inactions through multiple layers of checks and balances. Our American Spirit thrives when we utilize diverse thoughts and talents of our leaders and citizens; are judged by our character and actions, and not by our association to party, religion, or country of origin. Yes, our Constitution still requires more checks and balances refinement, but that’s another letter. Our America Spirit is what the World strives to mimic, not because we are the wealthiest and most powerful Nation but because of our society’s perpetual self-correcting spirit driving us upward to the mountaintop, which Martin Luther King so elegantly inspired us to continue.

I have strong feelings about our current state of the Union but never think someone should think as I do or differing opinions are an attack on your or my principles. Its citizen’s right to peacefully voice thoughts and grievances to our elected representatives. I hold a transient-bond with all political candidates receiving my vote whether my candidate won or lost. On inauguration day, I wish Godspeed to our newly elected then immediately begin holding them accountable for their actions or inactions until next election cycle, then repeat.

Our over-heated politics has been a catalyst for me to reboot my civics/history knowledge. A 2024 survey enlisted one thousand randomly picked American citizens to take the U.S. Naturalization test, only 5% answered all questions correctly. Therefore, I re-read the Declaration of Independence, Bill of Rights, and brushing up on history. I decided to read dozens of Inauguration Day speeches, and America’s Spirit came pouring out many. The following two speeches inspired this letter and highly recommend taking the time to read them.

• Franklin D. Roosevelt (1941): https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/third-inaugural-address

• Thomas Jefferson (1801): https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Jefferson/01-33-02-0116-0004

One small step we all can take in 2026 is considering making a New Year’s resolution to lower the disdain toward those who disagree with us. I believe America’s divided house can stand, but only if we don’t lose our perpetual American spirit of ensuring a fair and just society for all.