We had to share this opinion that was sent to the News Tribune on August 11, 2021 by Mike Barnhill. It reflects what state our country is in and how we as Americans are acting.

Dear Editor:

Is America up to the task of self-governing or submit to “tribalism,” which is destroying what truly makes America great? Tribalism refers to a way of thinking or behavior in which people are more loyal to their tribe than to their friend, their country, their family or any social group.

Our country’s founders “thought, read and reasoned” their way to creating a constitution that they hoped could lift the new nation out of the ethnic, religious and tribal rivalries that had scarred Europe with endless conflict and wars.

In 1787, Alexander Hamilton wrote that we should govern ourselves through “reflection and choice” rather than by accident and force.” Though we have certainly fallen short of our Founding Father’s ideals, they have sparked “a revolution in human affairs that extend beyond our borders.” But in the current state of political upheaval, mindless, venomous tribalism “runs rampant throughout our politics.”

Partisanship is inevitable, but tribalism requires something more: unquestioning devotion to an in-group, U.S., and a visceral distrust and loathing of them. The failure of today’s Republicans and Democrats to rise above it, and debate each other rationally and with some basic degree of respect, is deeply corrosive and dangerous to democracy.

America is at a crossroads to answering the question of “are we up to the task of self-government?” We’ll see.

Today’s politicians are not helping. They’re igniting the flames and raging their base just so they can raise money for THEMSELVES. Americans need to wise up and understand what’s happening and take action to avoid this problem from getting any larger.