Imagine: a single day when all the noise stops, when there is no back and forth between your uncle and cousin on Facebook, no CNN on airport televisions, no Fox News alert on your phone. Imagine candidates and pundits dropping politics for a full 24 hours.
Would you be surprised to learn that 70% of Americans support a national unity day, according to a poll commissioned by FreedomWorks? It would be a single day where media, candidates, and all other political organizations would be asked to stop talking about politics voluntarily for a full day; a day where we pause politics in order to celebrate our country.
The fact that almost every aspect of life has become politicized speaks for itself. Even the flag and anthem, the very symbols of our founding ideals of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, are viewed by some as overtly political and divisive rather than as statements of unity.
Worse than that, our political culture has made it so that it’s not uncommon to lose friends over political differences. After all, it’s certainly easier to cancel people and mute dissenting opinions than it is to have face-to-face conversations that encourage critical thinking. To keep peace and maintain friendships, some people find it easier not to talk about politics at all.
This kind of political culture is unsustainable. Frankly, it’s un-American. When Alexis de Tocqueville visited the United States in the 1830s, he commented on the remarkable ability of people to assemble and create solutions through discussion. We seem to have gotten away from these reasoned debates, and the political path on which we find ourselves now is dark and divisive. If we continue to place politics above people, things will only get worse.
Luckily, we the people have the power to stop political toxicity in its tracks. This Labor Day, let’s start with a clean slate. We all deserve a day to put politics on hold and reassess that which made our country so great in the first place.
Though our methods of political discussion have changed, the country today is actually not so different from the one that de Tocqueville praised. The people of this country still hold the crucial values of freedom, democracy, and equality in common. We still believe that America is at its best when its people stand together and put differences aside.
Life, with all of its unpredictable challenges, is hard enough as it is. Why should we continue to let politics strain our relationships and split our communities? Let’s take time to pause politics and celebrate each other this Labor Day. Let’s remember that it is we who make this holiday worth celebrating.
In the same spirit, we should stop shaming each other for being patriots and displaying pride in our country. When we wave the flag, it is not to honor politicians and media stars. It is to honor hardworking people who have put in the work to get us to where we are today.
Let it be known that Labor Day 2020 belongs to the people. Put away your phone and turn off the TV. Get outside and soak up the sunshine with loved ones. Next time you see the flag, let it be a reminder of that special, unbreakable bond that unites everyone who calls this country home. And last but not least, be sure to put politics on pause.
Noah Wall is an Executive Vice President at FreedomWorks.
