I just finished listening to a debate in Canada as to whether America is experiencing a Golden Age. The debaters were from America. Simply put, the audience concludes that America is not in a Golden Age. As I listened, I reflected on the significant differences in political ideology between our brothers and sisters. There was a popular book some time ago titled Men Are From Mars, Women Are From Venus. The title could explain the Grand Canyon of our differences.

I am old enough to remember Rev. Jerry Falwell when he was a preacher at a Lynchburg, Virginia, Baptist Church in the 1970s. Rev. Falwell preached the need for Christians to get involved in local and national government. He went on to say that Christians should run for local School Boards. Jerry Falwell began the Moral Majority. In those halcyon days, I was a bit conservative and considered his comments appropriate. Little did I know that the humble message of Jesus would be turned into a white nationalist movement. The song Jesus loves the little children, all the little children of the world, red, yellow, black, and white. All are precious in his sight. Jesus loves the little children of the world, would be turned into a message of hate and vitriol toward those unlike us. A message of America for True Americans, which I have never understood how to join the exclusive club.

It has been said that historically, voters watch what a President does for them. It is apparent in recent elections, voters seek to do more for the President and ignore how his policies are doing them damage as if he were the fundamentalist pastor and they were the congregation of which the price of admission is sacrifice.

We have lost something. Our conscience has been bruised. As I grew up, bullies were shunned. A political assassination happened in Minnesota, and a Senator made fun of it. This would have been unheard of just a few years ago. Rising to the top is not achieved by scraping the bottom of the ethics and morality barrel.

Great nations are not built on fear. Allies of great nations are not drawn to fear. Fear does not construct a Golden Age.