As a registered Republican, I found the Democratic Convention to be quite refreshing and very inspirational to my political rebirthing. One of my greatest concerns has been the polarization of this great nation. We either live in a “red” state or a “blue” state; we are either on the (extreme) “left” or (extreme) “right;” we either have “values” or we “don’t;” we either “support the troops” or we “don’t.” The ability to put individuals into such extreme ideologies and/or political camps reminds me of the childhood game of “Twister” where there can be no winners. Clearly it is not fun to play when the only objective is to create a deeper divide.

Let us accept a new reality that there are greater powers at work, and much of what we read, hear and see cannot represent the entire truth. “Truth” can be woven, spun, sewn and then packaged into whatever one wants it to be. When corporate America “owns” our media sources or when columnists belong to a particular divisive camp where words are used to incite rather than to inform, where is the validity within the message? How then does one or two or a small handful begin the arduous task to “unpolarize” this great nation? It begins with each individual seeing through the spin and dividing rhetoric.

Is it possible that an overwhelming majority of Americans share concurrently the following beliefs: 100 percent pro-life (meaning you can’t support the death penalty either); hold 100 percent Christian beliefs (meaning you can’t support birth control, premarital sex, homosexuality or equal rights for homosexuals, among many others); and finally, America is the moral judge and jury for the world and therefore can’t questioned when imposing a preemptive strike as its sentence.

Or does the vast majority of Americans represent a composite of beliefs that political rhetoric typically doesn’t address? Presidential candidate John Kerry stated so eloquently: “Strength and wisdom are not opposing values.” John Edwards, when questioned on when and where to discuss race, equality and civil rights, answered, “everywhere, everywhere, everywhere.” Barack Obama transformed the stereotypical black and white, “either/or,” two-dimensional image of Americans into a rich, complex, three-dimensional and full-color portrait. When these things happened, I knew then a tide had been turned and perhaps, just maybe, hope is on the way. Hope in one another not to allow others to categorize us easily and in simplistic terms for personal gain or at great cost to others. Hope that come November all eligible voters utilize their right to vote. Hope that all votes will be counted.

Colette Maher

NIU alumna and staff member