Like most of you, I’m tired of the negativity. Our country is saturated with hate – Facebook posts, the news, politics, and sometimes even environments we expect to be sanctuaries immune from venomous dialogue, including churches and casual get-togethers with friends. I can sum up our country’s problems in six simple words:

Too many dividers. Not enough uniters.

Are you entitled to your opinion? Yes. Are you allowed to voice your beliefs? Sure. But what’s the point of demonizing those who disagree with you? If you haven’t noticed, we’re spinning our wheels in the mud. Civil conversation and personal accountability are on life support, choked out by rampant finger-pointing and a stubborn unwillingness to co-exist with anyone who has a different opinion, skin color, religion, sexual orientation, native language, bank account balance, or political affiliation. News flash: those differences are what make America great (and yes, we’ve never stopped being great, despite what anyone tries to tell you).

Instead of seeking advice from senators, or political commentators, or Facebook experts who don’t even know the difference between “your” and “you’re,” maybe we should listen to the advice of a simple man, a wise sage named Red Green who repeatedly tells us, “We’re all in this together.” Imagine what we could accomplish if we worked side-by-side instead of face-to-face.