We’re divided, that’s not something new,

I’m hoping all who read this will not misconstrue.

Words are important, as they enable us to share ideas.

What I want to convey here are not panaceas.

For people to connect and truly understand,

It takes so much more than presenting demands.

There has to be something on which we can agree.

Without building those bridges, we won’t budge one degree.

This divide within our country and even in the church,

Has left us all, in a bit of a lurch.

So let me propose, before I go much further,

That there are some things that may enable a merger.

What can we agree on that will provide a foundation?

And move us forward towards healing our nation?

If we call ourselves human, there are some things that we share.

Like longings for love and times of despair.

Each of us no matter where we were born,

Had hopes and dreams, that didn’t include scorn.

No matter what traits define you, now or at birth,

We must all believe that every person has equal worth.

Unfortunately, we’re not all given the same at the start.

We’ve got many differences that set us apart.

Those differences make us unique but certainly not better.

And should never be used to make anyone feel lesser.

Yes, they’ve been used in horrible ways,

To deny this would be like saying the sun’s not ablaze.

This situation we’re dealing with is not unique.

Throughout history there’ve been times that have seemed so bleak.

Not only in America, but all around the globe,

There’ve been conflicts and divisions whose solutions were untold.

For much of history, it’s been tyrants who ruled.

With most people’s voices simply being overruled.

It was a most amazing step for an English king to give up his power,

And to turn it over to the people he empowered.

So when America won its revolution,

The biggest challenge of all was creating a constitution.

To keep freedom requires a way to govern,

To enable decisions to be made even with the most stubborn.

We needed a framework that reflected reality,

A document that we could all trust in, and on which we could agree.

Without our Constitution we’ll go back to the Wild West,

And the land that we love will be filled with unrest.

Our founders knew the nature of people,

And that we could all be corrupt, including those under the steeple.

They knew that those in power needed very clear limitations.

Without them, there would simply be too many temptations.

So they separated powers and limited terms,

And made it very clear what rights were affirmed.

The first of those rights is the most consequential,

And it also happens to be absolutely essential.

Ask anyone who lived inside the iron curtain,

What right is most important and their answer will be certain.

That government can not tell you what you can believe,

And also can’t stop you from sharing what grieves.

Our ability to speak and try to convince others, 

Without using force, stops the evil that smothers. 

We may not agree with the facts being presented,

But we must allow others to be represented.

In this broken world rampant with crime, 

We long for justice so much of the time.

Whether the crimes are conducted by people with white collars or blue,

In the end it’s justice that we want to pursue.

We want lady justice to be blind,

For the facts to be presented and for the light to be shined.

For the truth to ultimately be brought into the light.

For the verdicts to be right and for the sentences to not incite.

Whether you believe that there’s a higher power or not,

I hope we’ll all agree that justice shouldn’t be bought.

If it’s survival of the fittest, there truly is no hope,

But I believe there’s something much greater that can heal what broke.

For the cynics out there reading this now,

You can present a thousand reasons why there’s no way how,

But there’s been so many times in history that someone has stood for what’s right.

In the face of immense pressure they’ve entered the fight.

Not shrinking away, but willing to speak,

To step to the microphone, defending the weak.

There are those on both sides that are scared, it is true.

But we must choose what is right if we’re going to renew.

What Will You Do?