Remembering What Unites Us

Author

Ed Clementi
November 11, 2024

This past week, we witnessed a hallmark of democracy—a presidential election. And today, we pause to honor those who have defended this democracy with their lives: our veterans.

It’s a week of reflection, gratitude, and, perhaps, tension. Election seasons are often filled with division, fueled by passionate beliefs and differing visions for our future. But as we stand at this crossroads, let us remember what binds us together beyond the outcome.

The United States of America. It’s in our name. Unity is not just a word—it’s a promise, a commitment to each other that spans generations.

In times like these, I’m reminded of one of the greatest speeches in our nation’s history: Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address. Delivered during the final days of the Civil War, it was not a speech of triumph but one of deep compassion and hope for a fractured nation. Lincoln’s words ring true even today:

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With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for him who shall have borne the battle and for his widow and his orphan—to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations.

Imagine the weight of these words spoken at a time when brother had turned against brother. Yet Lincoln chose unity. He chose to call forth the better angels of our nature.

Today, as we face our own divisions—ideological, political, and cultural—let us draw inspiration from that message. Let us strive, not to tear each other down, but to build each other up. Let us remember that disagreement does not mean disdain, and that diversity in opinion is not a weakness but a hallmark of freedom.

And today, on Veterans Day, as we honor those who have stood watch over our freedoms, let us also honor the ideals they protect: the freedom to speak, to vote, to disagree, and most importantly, the freedom to come together in unity after the vote is cast and the voices are counted.

We are incredibly fortunate to live in a country where we can participate in our democracy, express our values, and engage in spirited debate. These privileges have been safeguarded by generations of Americans who believed that unity was worth fighting for, even when it seemed difficult or impossible.

This week, I challenge us all to step back and reflect. Not just on the outcome of an election, but on the privilege of being part of this incredible country. To be grateful for the right to vote and to express ourselves. To be mindful of the fact that while our voices may be different, our shared hopes for a better future are not so different after all.

So, let’s take a moment to find gratitude for what we have in common. Our love for this country. Our desire for peace, prosperity, and justice. And let us move forward, not as divided factions, but as fellow citizens, bound by a belief in our collective strength and potential.

Lincoln believed in the strength of unity. His words urged a nation to heal and to hope. May they inspire us to do the same, to reach across our differences and find a way forward, together.

To those who have served, thank you for reminding us that some bonds are forged not just in debate but in sacrifice. And to all of us, may we find it within ourselves to live out the unity in our name, today and always.

“United we stand, divided we fall.”

With Absolute Sincerity,

Ed Clementi, Founder & CEO of Inspired Fire, LLC

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