On the days following September 11, 2001, we saw a country united because of the terrorist attacks on our nation. People and politicians with all types of differences put those issues aside and united on a common cause. The uniting principle was defending the sovereignty of the nation and punishing those that killed so many innocent people.
Fast forward twenty plus years, and we see a similar issue playing out in the Middle East. The brutal killings in Israel are horrific to even consider. The degree of evil is beyond what one would think possible of a human being. The response within United States is varied though. We see protests supporting the terrorist position and have several members of Congress that openly support the terrorist position and/or actions.
Beyond that conflict, we can’t seem to elect a Speaker of the House apparently due to some personal agendas that seem more important than serving the people of the United States. We have special interest groups that are utilizing the freedom of speech to further divide and unravel a nation that so desperately needs to be united.
Our national security is now in question due to disagreements on border security and a decline in military recruitment and funding. So much has changed in twenty plus years!
Have we allowed the concepts of tolerance, acceptance, diversity, and choice eradicate unity? Have we forgotten the concepts of commitment, loyalty, sacrifice, and service? I worked in business for over 35 years and led others for many of those years. I valued diversity on every leadership team. That diversity was not just in race and gender, but also diversity of background, experiences, and ideas. With that diversity though was always a common belief and a set of core convictions that united the leadership team and organization.
Without a core connection, there is no organization. Without a common unifying purpose, there is no team. The same factors apply to a nation. With no unifying element at the core, there will be division, fracture, and ultimately failure from within. Our greatest threat as a nation today is not that from another nation, but rather an internal collapse resulting from a lack of unity. When the reason to divide is greater than the reason to unite, collapse is inevitable. It doesn’t matter whether we are talking about an athletic team, a business organization, or our nation.
So, what do we do? It’s a matter of responding to and acting on a few key questions:
- What distinguishes us from others? (could be team, organization, but in this case, we are focused on nation) If it’s a geographical boundary, then you protect that boundary at all costs. If it’s a belief system, then everyone must believe what you believe at the core even if there are variations in how it is lived out/implemented.
- What core values (that we would never compromise) unite us? Again, maybe we live those out a little differently on the surface, but the core is the overriding factor that unites us. We can tolerate, compromise, and accept some variations of living it out, but the core remains intact.
- What is our identity? How do we view ourselves and how do outsiders view us? What are we known for inwardly and outwardly? Every healthy team, organization, or nation has a clear identity.
- What purpose is so compelling that it overshadows any personal or group agendas that may arise? The purpose is so clear, compelling, and so magnified that it keeps personal agendas in check.
If you can’t clearly respond to those questions, there is clearly a unity problem, and there is a significant threat of erosion. Erosion, in this case, means a gradual undermining of the core elements that were once foundational to the entity. Unless the erosion is stopped, there will eventually be a total collapse.
We need leaders asking those questions, pushing for responses, and acting on those responses. It won’t be popular, widely accepted, or easy, but it is vital for the nation to continue as we once knew it. Unity matters!
