In late 2024, I had a conversation with an Alamosa, Colorado, business owner. She expressed concern over the coming election of the president of the United States. I explained to her that I had changed parties because I felt one of them had become radicalized. She proceeded to describe how she would react if the wrong person got the office. I thought where did she get these ideas from. I was stunned that one woman with one vote could be so distraught. Our nation was founded as a Constitutional Republic, by the framers of the Constitution. The original democratic elements in the Constitution were limited. Mind you, over the years "We the People" have expanded these elements across time by adding Amendments such as the 17th, 15th, and the 19th. But, at no time were they intended to still the voices of the people, but to increase their voice. So, why all the anger, distress, and radicalized voices? We do not live in a perfect nation, but one of the greatest nations. A nation that provides liberty and at times justice for all. 

The same hot blood of the colonial colonies that stood against "taxation without representation" was expressed by the Boston Tea Party and is still flowing among us. But today we have that representation we fought for although heavily tainted with a dose of personal interest. Welcome to today's Constitutional Republic! It is to this point that I write this article.  

Radical voices are threatening to tear at the soul of this great nation. What is the source of this spring whose waters destroy unity? Might it be that the demands are rooted in personal self-interest. The old saying may help us with this today "My way or the highway". What happened to "one nation under God", and where is our unity? Does personal interest outweigh the will of the people? I say no, and so should you. We are a privileged people with a great heritage. God help the the foolish power that would try to tread on us; that is our history. So why then do we entertain divisions in our unity above the majority of the votes of the nation? Is there a way to mend the broken and misunderstood issues and reintegrate splinters of thought into one body once again? I would say yes, but how?  

The most important healing comes from holding truth. But what is truth? Google AI Overview states, "the quality of being in accord with fact or reality, often used to describe statements, beliefs, or facts that accurately reflect the world." If you would notice, there is nothing about hearsay or opinion. Just the good old plain truth. When did we become so gullible that we believe everything we hear? Whether it be on TV, the internet, or from the backyard neighbor? We have all heard of fake news. My dad called it idle gossip, still others call it lies. History could say it is old fashion muck ranking, the stinkier the better. What about empirical data? What was the source, and did you check its validity? Personally, I write sci-fi, but I do not live in it. (Although, I must say I would be partial to flying around in space ships.) Hey we all have dreams. Unfortunately, aliens are not just on other planets and in sci-fi books, but illegal aliens are here in our country, clearly against the law. We are not looking for personal opinions here, just the facts please.  

We all should view information with a discerning eye. I received alarming advice when I was young "never stop learning in life." No one told me this would cause me to outgrow the masses. Many are not interested in the truth, just the sound of their own voice. Learning is much more than degrees and grade point averages. The question we should be asking is "What have I learned today?" It doesn't matter if it was through experience or college. Critical thinking is still your best hope of survival. I know, I have asked a lot of questions of you, but I want you to think about what you say and do in the future. I'm not judging anyone because I do not know your history, or what makes you tick, but I can be a fruit inspector. Finally, I leave you with a quote from Plato, "The measure of a man is what he does with power."

Dathan Jones has an MBA from Colorado Technical University and undergraduate work at Towson University. He has worked 10 years in higher education at the Director and National Director levels. In addition, he was a corporate recruiter in telecommunications and a main frame shop. He is a published author with a sci-fi book about to come out. He has served as an ordained pastor for 40 years.