UNITY IN AMERICA

After Dallas, Minnesota, and Louisiana, Let’s Come Together

By Pattie Mosure

In Minnesota and Louisiana two black men are shot and killed by police.  Five police officers die in Dallas, Texas after being shot by a black assailant.  These incidents are tragedies not only for the victims and their families but of the country we love. 

I write this not to assess blame or condemnation.  I don’t know what was behind the actions and motivations of those involved.  At this stage I don’t care.  What I do care about is bringing this country together.

I have a favorite expression:  Good comes from bad.  Maybe not always but we should try to make it so, particularly now when we remember the seven who have died in the tragic events of recent days.  Maybe this can turn us from the confrontation we see too much of these days to a determination to do better, to get along better.

President Obama got it right when he spoke at the memorial for the slain peace officers in Dallas.   “Scripture tells us,” the president said, “that in our sufferings there is glory, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope.  Sometimes the truths of these words are hard to see. Right now, those words test us.  Because the people of Dallas, people across the country, are suffering.”

Former President George W. Bush, who lives in Dallas, struck home as well.  “Too often we judge other groups by their worst examples while judging ourselves by our best intentions.”  He added, “And this has strained our bonds of understanding and common purpose.”

Let us take that suffering that President Obama spoke of and turn it into hope.  Let us use the horrible events of the past few days to inspire us to conciliation, to cooperation, to hope, and, yes, to unity as a nation.  Let us leave the divide behind.

Surely we are capable of doing this.  I hope all of us will listen to our fellow Americans more.   I believe we will be glad we did.

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Pattie Mosure is the president of Lee & Grant Company and the wife of a 20-year retired U.S. Army veteran.