A divided nation

This week in Knoxville, a deluded individual opened fire in a Unitarian-Universalist church, killing two people and wounding eight. His alleged motive? A hatred of the church and its "liberal" stances on social issues (including its support of women's and gay rights) and a general hatred of "the liberal movement.

Stories like this are always shocking in their brutality. One always wonders what kind of person can callously walk into a church and shoot innocent people. Something I else I wondered when I read this story was, is this what we've come to as a nation?

We've been a divided nation for almost decade. We have "red states" and "blue states." We have "flyover country" and "the beltway" of Washington, D.C. What we rarely have anymore is a united America.

When did it become a crime to be a liberal in this country? When did it become a crime to be a conservative? Whatever happened to our ability to discuss issues intelligently and agree to disagree? Are we really so far gone that we have to resort to violence to settle our differences? For the sake of our children and our nation, I certainly hope not.