On June 16, 1858, future president of the United States Abraham Lincoln delivered his famous House Divided speech after he accepted the Illinois Republican Party’s nomination for United States senator.

People can be so fickle. An important source of social identity and self-esteem is a person’s sense of belonging to a group, (e.g., religious denomination, college, race, social class, political party, etc.) With an US versus THEM mentality. I see prejudice (negative attitudes), stereotypes (beliefs about other groups), and discrimination (unfair treatment toward others) being dangerously played out in American society. When two groups such as the GOP and Democrats identify themselves as rivals, they begin to compete to preserve their social identity.

Does anyone recall when an orange-haired actor/businessman was not embraced by the GOP and had trouble finding a vice presidential running mate? Well, I do if you don’t. Now as a former president, he is controlling the actions of certain elected GOP officials who are supposed to know more about politics than he. That should not be. Playing politics is not the same as playing a ball game. Winning should not be more important than how the game is played. Play by the rules! The day of “I’ll take my ball and go home if you don’t let me win” is over. Grow up, people.

The world is watching all of this division. STOP the chaos. Let’s vote out the troublemakers and get back to the business of caring about the people in this country. We all should PRAY without ceasing if “In God we trust” which by the way, is imprinted on our currency.

Lincoln’s famous speech was based on the biblical passage Mark 3:24-25 (KJV):

Simply stated: If a nation or country is divided against itself, that nation or country cannot stand. And

And if a legislative or governing body (House of Representatives or Senate) is divided against itself, that legislative or governing body cannot stand.