“Our Olympic teams look like a little United Nations. Despite our differences, we are all one people.”

I cringed when Dr. Ben Carson said he wouldn’t want a Muslim President.  And again when Hillary Clinton claimed her biggest enemies are the Republicans.  It doesn’t get much more polarizing than that. 

The politicians and the media will have you believe the enemy is the gay couple at the high school football game. Or the Tea Party guy you blocked on Facebook or the Christian co-worker or the Muslim mother at the PTA meeting. But we aren’t.  

This country is like none other. Last year more people migrated to America than all other countries combined. Our Olympic teams look like a little United Nations. Despite our differences, we are all one people. 

Government and society want to separate us into groups, and then judge in favor or against these groups based on race, religion, politics, class and wealth. That’s why they ask such questions on the census and on every job, loan and college application.  It’s the textbook definition of discrimination.

Why? Because it’s good for business. Prominent groups flaunt money, campaign workers and votes in the faces of political puppets who are happy to dance to whatever tune is being played the loudest. Bernie Sanders is promising these groups so much free stuff that when he enters a room the band doesn’t know whether to play “Hail to the Chief” or “Here comes Santa Claus.”

This struggle for influence and power breeds animosity and hatred. The poor blame the rich and the rich blame the poor. The Republicans blame the Democrats and the Democrats blame the Republicans.    

We were always different, but we used to unite for the greater good. 

In WWII, the greatest generation united against a common enemy to defeat the axis powers and save the world from Hitler.  Afterwards, they used optimism, hard work and technology within a capitalistic society to build a colossus of a nation.  The wealthiest most free people humankind has ever known.  

In the 60’s, a little older and wiser, they unified  again with a bi-partisan Civil Rights Bill that passed the Senate with  votes from 80 percent of Republicans and 63 percent of Democrats.  With the stroke of a pen they ended discrimination and segregation.  In those days people would hang portraits of American Presidents in their family rooms. Polls showed that 70 percent of all Americans had confidence Washington would do the right thing, today that number is around 18 percent.  

What the hell happened?

Today we can’t even form a consensus on who are enemies and allies are. We can’t even decide if capitalism is freedom or enslavement. If cops are good or bad. If welfare is a right or a privilege. We can’t even get together to pass a budget anymore.

Let me set the record straight. I’m nobody special. My dad was a coal miner. I had a good Christian raising and a 12th grade education.  But because I was born in this country, and with a little hard work and common sense, I was able to build a successful business from the ground up. You may not always agree with me; you may not even like me, but at least you will know where I stand.  

Unfortunately, I represent everything the Huffington Post despises. I’m a straight, White, married,  conservative Christian man.  I’m not affiliated with any political party nor do I speak for anyone but myself. I’m here to extend an olive branch from one side of the American spectrum to another.  Friends, we must find  some common ground and focus on the ties that bind us.  Regardless of what Fox News says, Democrats are not evil Communists and regardless of what CNBC says, Republicans are not hateful bigots.  

I’m an optimist. I am of the opinion that  people should be judged on individual merit, not what groups we belong to.  I am of the belief that any differences between us can be worked out.

Democrats tend to strive towards leveling the playing field between all the groups. They tend to do a better job of  giving  minority groups a voice. Conservatives don’t operate that way. They hesitate to separate the American people into groups.  In their eyes,  it doesn’t matter what group you are in, what country you’re from or what you look like.  A good person is a good person.  A job is a job.  A thief is a thief.  What’s good for Jack is good for Jill.  Conservatives understand we’re in different boats, but believe a rising tide will lift us all.

Their  opposition to federal welfare is viewed as a lack of compassion towards minorities. That’s because they accept the fact that poverty is colorblind. They accept that the majority of welfare recipients are White anyhow. Moreover, they see  welfare as a privilege. 

Democrats tend to believe it’s a “right,” every bit as fundamental as the right to free speech, the right to assemble, carry guns or practice religion.

I remember  feeling apprehensive about moving to the big city of Dearborn. For a guy raised in a “village” of 7,500 people it was a big change.  Back home, my nearest neighbor was a half of mile down a dirt road and they looked like me.  After making friends with people from various backgrounds I realized something. Not to burst Donald Trump’s bubble, but regardless if your family is from Poland,  Lebanon, Ireland or Yemen, we’re all immigrants (Native Americans notwithstanding).  

We all want to be healthy, wealthy and wise.  We want the freedom to worship however we please, opportunity and education for our children.

State Sen. Morris Hood (D-Detroit) recently said  the Arab American people came to this country  to achieve the American dream.  He’s right. But the good senator needs to know that we all came here for that reason, some on a boat, others on a jet.  We all might wear different jerseys, but we better start playing for the same team before our real enemies divide and conquer us.  United we stand, divided we, fall people. 

-Regan J. Ford is the founder and president of Dearborn-based VIVID Maintenance.  He serves his community as the president-elect of the Rotary Club of Dearborn and president of the Southwestern Outer Drive Neighborhood Association.