It sometimes feels like things are severely split in our country right now. According to the media, social media, public polls, and even what we see with our own eyes, it appears Americans are more divided than ever before. There has even been talk of another “civil war,” a thought that transformed from being just talk into violent action at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.

But I don’t believe the division is as bad as it seems. Okay, I get it. I’m fully aware that our politics – especially since Donald Trump came down that escalator – has divided families, devastated marriages, and destroyed lifelong friendships… and that stress caused by our politics has caused the mental health of many Americans to suffer.

I also know that our divided politics has made our country a target of malicious online influence operations by our enemies; that some people have rioted and caused massive mayhem and destruction at the Capitol and beyond; and that some have acted like shameless bullies and complete jerks on social media. Heck, even a 9x6 piece of cloth used to cover one’s face caused a ridiculously huge political uproar. In truth, I’m so aware of all this that the potential damage caused by our political division is the very reason I even thought of starting 1787.

In many ways, it seems like political tribalism (where people feel protective of their chosen group) has turned into political sectarianism (where one group hates the other group even more than they love their own). This is rightfully concerning and there are ideas in these books that aim to tackle it.

That said, it’s super important we maintain a practical perspective on our current situation. If we don’t, political division will eventually become a self-fulfilling prophecy that we cannot escape. Not to be overly dramatic, but I believe maintaining proper perspective is perhaps the only thing that can keep half of this country from saying “screw it” and just giving up on the other half.

Let’s just start here: Regardless of our personal views on political and social issues – and despite our race, religion or social class – we all want pretty much the same things for ourselves and our families. All of us simply want to live a happy, productive life. We want to earn a respectable living and be able to enjoy the social security that we have contributed to. We want to properly educate our children and know they will always breathe clean air and have satisfactory health care. 

We want to spend quality time with our friends and family who unconditionally love us and want the very best for us. We want to feel safe with those we have come to fear abroad as well as with those who live among us. At the end of the day, when you tune out all the noise, the tapestry that binds all Americans is tightly woven with the common threads of family, freedom, optimism and hope.

Regardless of what some toxic people would like us to believe, the truth is that what creates a bond between us is far more powerful than anything that may separate us. The solid constitution of this country – established with a firm foundation by the Constitution – is unyielding. The hallmarks of the American experience are a commonality of hope and decency that permeates throughout this country and an unrelenting faith that we will find our way.

            … and we absolutely will. Personally, I find it amazing we coexist as peacefully as we do. This may seem like an odd thing to say in the wake of nationwide protests, riots, mass shootings, and an actual insurrection, but stick with me here for a minute.

            This country of over 340 million people represents a fabulous array of races, ethnicities, cultures, and religions. We are way more diverse than anywhere on the entire planet.

There are over 370 religious bodies (i.e., churches, sects and/or denominations) in the United States. There were five racial categories to choose from in the latest census, plus a sixth category called “Some Other Race.” The Census Bureau codes 1,333 individual languages and language groups in America, a number so large they have to collapse them into a more manageable 42.

340 million people…370 religious bodies… over 5 races…1,333 different languages. That is A LOT of people and A LOT of diversity.

Still, with that many people and that many differences, there are relatively few conflicts. Sure, there are instances of road rage here and there and the occasional late-night bar brawl but, overall, we all live among one another in relative harmony. I find that extraordinary!

< Sidebar: I’m not downplaying issues like mass shootings or anti-democratic mob riots in the least. We obviously have problems to solve in these areas and I address them all in these books, exhaustively. >

Without question, every violent crime is tragic, but the percentage of our violent crimes to our population is 2 percent. Think about that: 2 percent. That’s just incredible to me.

Even during the highly emotional protests against racial injustice in 2020 – or what the Department of Justice called “demonstrations” – only around 300 people across 29 states and Washington, D.C. faced federal criminal charges. That may seem high until you consider that there were over 10,600 demonstrations across America.

Listen, I don’t like conflict, so I hate that families, marriages and friendships are suffering because of politics, and that people are getting bullied on social media. I hate that even a relatively small number of people get stung by violence. Even 2 percent is still 2 percent. Without question, there are heartbreaking stories associated with everyone involved in that number. 

But I can say this with absolute certainty: The hateful posts, angry rants, and violent scenes that seem to dominate the media and social media are not a true reflection of America or Americans. When we are all our best selves, none of those ugly words and images show who we really are. Not even close.

Think about a day in your life. A typical day doesn’t include your seeing people sitting around yelling and insulting other people in the grocery store or in the pick-up line at your kid’s school. In fact, it’s usually the exact opposite. We help one other. We smile at one another. We look out for one another.

Americans donate money, time, food, and free services to those affected by government shutdowns, international pandemics, and wildfires. Americans are people who, in an emergency – without a moment’s hesitation and with no assessment of skin color – reach their hands into dirty water in hurricane-battered Louisiana, Florida and North Carolina to lift fellow citizens in need, while others carry the oldest and youngest on their backs to safety. Americans lend blankets, warm clothes, and generators to those who have no water or power during an ice storm and invite complete strangers into their homes to provide comfort. We visit the sick, we volunteer for good causes, we carry groceries for those who can’t, we give rides to work, we help with one another’s kids.

We are people who celebrate life, liberty and justice for all. We are people who perfected the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of speech and the free exercise of religion.

This is who we are. We are Americans, dammit! And we are truly wonderful people! So then, why do we feel like one half of America hates the other half? Why do we feel so attacked? Why do we feel so misunderstood? Why do we at times feel so hopeless?

There is just one answer, my fellow Americans: Because we are being manipulated by outside forces. Big time! This is not just a gut feeling. I can, and will, prove this in the following pages. We’ll also go over how we can make this better.

            So, here’s how I’ll address the complicated topic of manipulation and the way it perpetuates national division. First, to successfully construct a new paradigm, we need to deconstruct the old one and learn from the lessons it teaches. We’ll then take a look at some of the ways manipulative puppet masters try to gaslight us (gaslighting means manipulating others by psychological means, sometimes to the point they question their own sanity) and why truth even matters in the first place. Then, we’ll talk about how, logistically, this even happens, and then about the real-world affects it has on all of us when it does.

            The thought of being manipulated is disturbing, but the great news is that now that we have identified the problem, we can fix it. There are several ways we can begin to fight back immediately. The dragons that have exploited us can absolutely be slayed.

And we must slay them. Right now. As a nation – one nation – we must put a stop to this, because we cannot allow ourselves to be played any more than we already have been. We cannot let outside forces turn us into something we are not.