Weekly comments from Dale Martin

Dale Martin

June 29, 2018 12:00 a.m.

City Manager Dale Martin

On Wednesday, we will celebrate the United States of America.

On Thursday, we’ll likely return to dividing the state of America.

United States?

That has become an oxymoron of epic proportions, surpassing, I am afraid, military intelligence and Congressional ethics.

We’ll go back to throwing people out of restaurants because they don’t think like us. We won’t bake cakes for people who don’t act like us. We won’t laugh with people that don’t look like us. We won’t talk with others that don’t agree with us.

On Wednesday, I encourage you to reflect on what you are contributing to uniting the state of America.

As we churn through the calendar toward November’s election, the divisions will only grow deeper. Will you be a willing participant in those divisions? Will you vilify, demonize, and attack others that are different?

Like the national political parties, sadly, many people have developed litmus tests for their friendships and relationships. You supported the other candidate for office- I want nothing to do with you, you idiot! And the divisions grow deeper and the dialogue more heated.

When will the reasonable people rise to the challenge and acknowledge that this city, this county, this state, and this country has good Democrats and good Republicans. The voice of moderation has been stifled, and we are not better. But we do nothing but cower.

I retain a deep and sincere belief that we (nationally) are a good people. My pessimism regarding the state of America is overcome by my optimism for the United States of America.

The celebratory fireworks on Wednesday should be cheered before we inevitably return to the political fireworks on Thursday (and Friday and Saturday, and July and August and 2019 and 2020).

Happy birthday, USA.