Graduation Speech: A Divided House Cannot Stand

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Is "however" overused?? Check passive voice (paperrater.com) A Divided House Cannot Stand: The Need for American Unity in a Globalized World Simon Levien "United we stand, divided we fall." Long ago in yesteryear, our Founding Fathers first defined the American spirit—a belief that many Americans still embrace, one of unity, defense, and prosperity. Yet amidst the 2016 presidential election season, their famous remarks appear sinfully construed and distorted. Even in the supposed neutral, non-opinion-impressing atmosphere of public high school, a looming animosity shrouds my politically engaged peers. Nearly every day, I find constant arguments and ruined friendships over why their candidate is superior and yours, inferior. American nationalism has degraded among our youth, among all voters, of course at a time when only a sole American identity can deter emerging foreign opponents. Be I the mischievous student, the words “divided we stand, united we fall” would already scrawl along bathroom walls. Nationalism, in this sense, does not resemble patriotism altogether, but rather is the essential cooperation and coordination of the American people and their representatives to set and reach goals for US betterment. However, our own polarization has backlogged these ambitions, turning debate into prolonged debacle. Now more than ever, …show more content…

Other than leniency, we must participate in educated debate much akin to the classical Athenian body politic, ecclesia. Once we can set the bitterness and party collective thought aside, enlightened individualism works towards a cooperative national identity. GOP Ohio governor John Kasich put it best in response to his opposition of a party view: “The Republican party is my vehicle, not my master.” Kasich’s statement garnered much applause. If we can decide for ourselves what our political views are, polarization along party lines ceases to

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