By Annie Holmquist, October 24, 2025, at “Annie’s Attic.” To read more from Annie, go to:
https://annieholmquist.substack.com/
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The other day, an amusing image showed up on social media featuring CBS television personality Gayle King sitting on an airplane next to Fox News television personality Jesse Watters. King posted the selfie on her Instagram page, reveling in the ironic, chance encounter with a rival journalist.
Despite being on opposite sides of the political aisle, the smiling photo showed that the two had a good time, gracefully managing to maneuver four hours trapped next to one another without getting into a fist fight.
Such goodwill did not extend to King’s social media followers, however. Although there were some who, like me, thought the post was refreshing – an encouraging sight in a time of political vitriol – many posted comments expressing anger and embarrassment over the fact that King could smilingly sit next to such a terrible person like Watters.
The outrage was revealing, albeit a bit surprising. Who would have thought, even a decade ago, that people would be so upset by simple, straightforward, friendly association with someone who shares a different opinion? Truly, it’s no wonder that so many say our nation is on the brink of civil war, ready to split into red and blue states because they can no longer stand someone who holds opposing values and political views.
How did we get to such a state where we’re angry when two people with opposing views can get along and enjoy each other’s company for a few hours? I would suggest that a major reason is that we no longer have a shared national identity.
“What makes it possible for people to agree to disagree?” English philosopher Roger Scruton (1944-2020) once asked. He answers his own question by likening the issue of civil disagreement to the dynamics of a family:
In families, people often get together to discuss matters of shared concern. There will be many opinions, conflicting counsels and even factions. But in a happy family everyone will accept to be bound by the final decision, even if they disagree with it. They have a shared investment in staying together. Something is more important to all of them than their own opinion, and that is the family, the thing whose welfare and future they have come together to discuss.
To put it in another way, the family is part of their identity. It is the thing that does not change, as their several opinions alter and conflict. A shared identity takes the sting from disagreement. It is what makes opposition, and therefore rational discussion possible.
The same is true in politics. Opposition, the free expression of dissent and the rule of compromise all presuppose a shared identity. There has to be a first-person plural, a ‘we’, if the many individuals are to stay together, accepting each other’s opinions and desires, regardless of disagreements.
America has long prided itself on being a nation of immigrants, a “melting pot,” if you will, where everyone brings their unique ideas, but then melds into one united front.
We still talk as if we are a melting pot, but in reality, the United States has become a pot where nothing melts. Like a child who insists that his peas must not touch the potatoes or meat on his plate, America is now a country that touts diversity, but refuses to come together in that “first-person plural we,” embracing the common culture that has for so long enabled us to get along in this melting pot of a nation.
What makes for a common culture? Scruton suggests that the first element is religion.
America was founded as a Christian nation. That’s unpopular to say sometimes, and some will even combat that fact, but a fair look at the evidence from the founding era shows this as the cold, hard truth. Yet recent years have seen our politicians, courts, and other public figures doing everything they can to root Christianity out of the public square. Is it any wonder, then, that our nation is struggling to find common footing? Would we be able to combat some of the vitriol we see today if we returned to the faith of our fathers, taking it seriously and incorporating its principles into our daily lives?
Scruton also suggests that shared language, customs, and community are all important elements to building a common culture. In other words, the more we promote English in our classrooms and encourage the non-English speaking to assimilate into our culture, the better. The more we teach our children about our nation’s history and teach them to observe our national holidays and love our national heroes, the more our nation’s culture will be strengthened. And the more we seek to reach out to those in our communities, focusing on fixing things at the local level rather than simply looking to those at the top to solve our problems, the more we will build connections and trust, re-creating the support systems we all need.
Perhaps one day we’ll get back to the place where most Americans will rejoice to see a picture of Gayle King and Jesse Watters enjoying each other’s company despite their political differences. But that’s not likely to happen unless we begin rebuilding these core commonalities that bind a national family together.
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EDITOR’S COMMMENT: Holmquist would agree, but failed to mention, that the freedom to practice any (or no) religion is indeed one of our founding principals and core commonalities. However, she is simply stating a fact when she said we were founded as a Christian nation on Christian principles, and the majority religion of our people is still Christian. We should be able to state such facts as part of the discussion without being labeled as a bigoted, wicked, Christian nationalist. To say the United States is primarily a Christian nation is no more inaccurate than to say Saudi Arabia is primarily a Muslim nation. Many in our culture have come to the point where they insist we must respect, affirm, and celebrate every religion and culture except our own. This is how a society commits suicide (see A Free People’s Suicide by Os Guinness).
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Psalm 33:12a — Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord.
Psalm 133:1 — Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity.
Matthew 5:9 — (Jesus said), “How blessed are those who make peace, because it is they who will be called God’s children.”
Colossians 3:12-15 — Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.
1 Peter 3:8 — Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.
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Almighty and Eternal God, we pray that you confirm our faith in those deep foundations laid by our forefathers, lest by feverish ways, or futile words, we find ourselves building on sand rather than rock. During this period of swiftly moving change when anger bursts into violence, when passion dims our minds, and when doubts blind our hearts, grant us to be calm and courageous in the discharge of our responsibilities. When we differ, let us not become difficult in our differences, nor disagreeable in our disagreements, nor disturbing in our disturbances. Create in our midst a spirit where each one of us may think clearly, speak courageously, and act creatively for the best interests of our beloved land. May our faith be strong and our spirits steadfast that out of the turmoil of this age may come a better day for America and for our world. Amen.
–A blend of prayers prayed in the U. S. House of Representatives in the 1970’s.
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