In recent days, prominent political figures have called for unity across our nation following a contentious election cycle and ongoing confusion about our political system’s state.
However, it’s essential to ask ourselves what unity people advocate for–cultural unity or political unity.
Cultural unity has always been a cornerstone of the American experience. Our nation was founded on the principle of E Pluribus Unum–out of many, one. That regardless of what you look like, where your family comes from, what language you speak, who you love, or how you vote, you are an American first. Our differences have always made us stronger as we unified culturally as Americans.
Political unification is not necessary to achieve cultural unification. Imagine how boring this country would be if we all thought and voted the same way all the time–we would never have any ideological diversity! When people call for unity, then be sure to understand whether they’re asking you: are they asking you to think exactly the same way they do, or saying they’ll love you despite your differences?
My concern with many of these calls for unity is precisely that–that it’s not about loving one another despite our differences but instead eliminating those differences all together to make everyone think exactly the same.
This reality is starting to shine through as the Left begins advocating for the creation of databases for conservatives and those who have voted for conservative candidates–that our information be doxxed, we are fired from our jobs, and physical harm encouraged against us because of the way we think. This call comes on the heels of violence propagated against conservative Americans throughout 2020 amid riots and looting. This behavior is entirely unacceptable and isn’t based on unity whatsoever.
Unity is always something we should be advocating for–but it should be cultural, not political.
