Divide and Conquer

There is certainly no shortage of groups working to keep the American people divided. We have Right vs. Left, Red vs. Blue, Socialists vs. MAGA, Scientists vs. Evangelicals, Fake News vs. Journalists, and the list goes on. I hope the majority agree with me when I say, "STOP...ENOUGH...YOU WILL NOT MANIPULATE US!"

The latest iteration of absurdity being promoted by a certain segment of the population is the idea that communists are taking over the country. Yes, communists! Apparently, terms like liberal, progressive, and equality weren't scary enough for some people, so those in power needed to find a more alarming word. So again, I say, "ENOUGH WITH THE MADNESS!"

A quick Google search of the "divide and conquer" strategy reveals a long history of leaders worldwide who understood the effectiveness of keeping people fighting among themselves, so they didn't pay attention to the real damage being done to a society. Google provides some notable examples, including:

- The Roman Empire: The strategy, known in Latin as "divide et impera," was heavily used during the Roman expansion, particularly by Julius Caesar during his conquest of Gaul (58–50 BCE). Rome maintained its dominance by pitting rival tribes and nations against one another, ensuring no single group became strong enough to challenge Roman authority.

- The British Empire: During the colonization of India, the British Raj famously employed a "divide and rule" strategy, exploiting existing religious, caste, and regional rivalries to prevent a unified independence movement. Similar tactics were used in Ireland to create divisions within communities.

- Napoleon Bonaparte: Napoleon used this strategy as a core military tactic, breaking his forces into smaller groups to maneuver against numerically larger enemy armies, defeating them in segments rather than engaging their full strength at once.

- The Mongol Empire: Genghis Khan and his successors successfully employed a mix of psychological warfare, alliances, and manipulation to turn enemy tribes and city-states against one another before conquering them.

- European Colonizers in Africa: European powers often favored specific ethnic groups for administrative roles during the colonization of Africa, exacerbating local differences. This tactic is most notoriously cited in Rwanda and Burundi, where Belgian and German administrators favored the Tutsi over the Hutu minority.

It remains a mystery to me how a relatively small group of individuals can so easily manipulate and control billions of people. While there have been uprisings throughout history when general populations have revolted, why does history continue to repeat itself, and why aren't lessons learned? Perhaps it's just human nature to desire more and more. There may never be an answer that makes sense.

It's difficult not to be concerned about events happening around the world and in our own neighborhoods. In this country, we have enjoyed relative peace for the past 75 to 80 years. It is jarring even to contemplate the possibility of military troops and masked groups roaming American streets as they do in some other nations. This couldn't possibly happen in the United States... or could it? Yes, it's here.

Throughout history, there have always been individuals who felt entitled and believed they alone should govern the masses. We have always seen bigotry, racism, and misogyny, but now, in my opinion, the real divide is between the haves and the have-nots. Since the 1980s, there has been a steady transfer of wealth—trillions of dollars—to a small fraction of the population. Money buys power and influence, allowing the deregulation of safety standards, the loss of public lands, the erosion of healthcare, and degraded school systems, all so that the wealthiest among us can create more profit-driven markets for themselves. It is a strategy as old as time.

I sincerely hope that people vote in record numbers this fall and support candidates who promote the policies we all want: clean air, clean water, affordable healthcare, reasonable grocery prices, good schools, protection of our parks and public lands, beneficial trade policies with democratic countries, programs that support renewable energy and associated tax incentives, and, of course, a fair immigration system that protects our borders.

So, my personal message to the universe is that divide-and-conquer will fail once again. The billions of dollars spent in an attempt to convince some of us that "might makes right" and that we cannot be a self-governing country have not worked on me, and I hope not on the majority of Americans. Therefore, I will exercise the most important action any citizen can take: I will vote this November for the common good. And no, that is not communism, socialism, or any other "ism" one might associate with those who believe in an America that represents equality and a fair chance for everyone willing to work for it.

We're stronger together, and I hope millions will join me.