And why can't we all just get along?

"We are coming apart at the seams. We are in trouble. Big, big trouble."

Years ago, there were riots in LA. Over the Rodney King incident. After a few days of total mayhem, Mr. King stepped in front of a mike and asked a very important question: "Can't we all just get along?" I guess not Mr. King. Even though we have not had a major riot in one of our cities for years, I believe we are just a small misstep away from one. Last year we came very close to full blown riots in St. Louis, Baltimore and elsewhere.

Even though I did not watch this year's SOTU speech, there were enough snippets played on the local news stations for me to get the flavor of it. One of the more interesting comments was how President's regrets the nation being much more divided (politically). And yes, for the first time in 7 years, he admitted some culpability in how this has happened.

Well Mr. President, it is not just the politics, it is everything. The one which has distressed me the most is this new found hatred of the rich. We have come a long way (in the wrong direction) on this issue. For example, John Kasich was interviewed after the debate on Thursday night. When asked about taxing the rich more, Kasich responded this way: "I did not grow up with a lot of money. When I was a boy, my father always told me not to hate the rich, but instead try and be like the rich." 

Today, people like Bernie Sanders exemplifies the polar opposite of John Kasich's father. Sander's despises the fact that some people in this country have "made it". His goal - level the playing field. Equal outcomes. Take the wealth from the "Makers" and give it to the "Takers". And he does not mind using his fiery, Socialist rhetoric to inflame the crowds. 

Rich against poor. Black against white. Socialist against conservative. East against west. North against south. Muslim against Christian and Jew. The list can go on and on and on. Under Barack Obama, this nation has gone from a few fissures to looking like a piece of pottery which has cracked under pressure. And a divided nation cannot stand. Or, "If a Kingdom is divided against itself, that Kingdom cannot stand." Remember that teaching? Remember who told us that? The Holy Scriptures in Mark 3:25.

Our next President absolutely needs to be a healer. Another divider might put us over the edge. Listen to the candidates on the trail. Whose rhetoric talks about unity? Whose rhetoric talks about division?

Remember their words when you go to the polls in November. Our fragile nation simply cannot take anymore cracks.