The Unity of Divisiveness [View All]

[NanceGreggs]

There seems to be a growing trend here of late; those who would divide us – not as Democrats v Republicans, but as Democrats v Democrats – are out in full force, a fact that is troubling to me and, I am sure, to many others.

This concept has been made glaringly apparent by posts that declare, “I will never vote for that man,” or, “I will never vote for that woman.” It is a statement that promotes the idea that we are not one party, but two warring camps whose respective soldiers would rather raise the flag of surrender in the face of a McCain presidency than yield to a candidate who is not their own personal preference.

Some of the reaction I have read here today to Barack Obama’s speech has solidified the abhorrent idea that for many, one’s choice of candidate should and must override any recognition of truths being spoken, or the eloquence of the words delivered to that end, because such recognition is to be perceived as support of one candidate over another.

Where is the pride that should be felt by all Democrats in the fact that one of our own made a speech that could not now, nor ever will be delivered by a Republican? Where is the collective praise that, in a perfect world, would have rallied an entire party – if only for a moment – not behind a particular candidate, but behind the concept that it is we, the Democrats, who are willing to say, unequivocally, that all Americans are equal regardless of race, religious beliefs, or the way in which they choose to worship?

I have read the posts (too many of them) that have tried to use Obama’s exceptionally well-articulated words as yet another wedge to divide one Democrat against the other – based not on the self-evident truths they expressed, but rather based on the fact that they were delivered by one candidate and not the other.

There are some things that should transcend petty bickering, or even valid debate, between those in both camps. There are some things that should unite supporters of both candidates, things that should bring us to a moment where we can all stand together and shout a hearty Amen! because one of our own stepped up to the public podium and stated that decades of racism should not be ignored nor conveniently swept aside, but should be addressed – head-on, without regard to whose sensibilities might be hurt, without regard to whose comfortable little apple-cart might be upset in the process.

Barack Obama’s speech was one of those things. It is truly unfortunate for we, as Democrats, that some of our party, here and elsewhere, feel a need to persist in using every word uttered by the candidate not of their choice as a wedge to be driven between party members, as a weapon to be wielded in an attempt not to conquer the reprehensible policies of the GOP, but to divide a party that should stand firmly behind the same principles, regardless of the fact that they might currently stand behind two different individuals.

As a Democrat, my pride in Obama’s words today is overwhelming. My despair that some of my fellow Democrats would choose to not stand together behind those words – regardless of who they supported yesterday, and who they will continue to support tomorrow – is indicative of the “unity of divisiveness”, a call-to-arms of those who would rather see our party divided to the point of another four-to-eight disastrous years of GOP governance rather than admit that we – despite our current differences – should unite behind one man in one breathtakingly singular moment when he speaks not for one "camp" or the other, but for all of us.