Enough is enough: Seeking peace in a divided America

I’m writing this on Sept. 11, the 24th anniversary of the foreign terrorist attack on New York City’s Twin Towers, and a day after the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a right-wing influencer, which has shocked all Americans — be they on either side of our country’s political and ideological divide.

This comes after a shooting at a Denver-area high school Sept. 10. That incident marked the 47th school shooting in the U.S. this year alone, as well as two church shootings in July and August.

If one Googles the number of K-12 shootings from 1999–2025, we discover a marked increase from 2018 (119) through 2023 (350), with 332 in 2024.

Forty-seven school shootings have occurred in the U.S. so far this year, per CNN, as of Sept. 10 — 24 on college campuses and 23 on K-12 school grounds.

My point is this: Love, compassion and consideration for others is, and has been, replaced by anger, frustration and hate for our country’s institutions, churches, teachers, adults and children.

Enough is enough. Let us all rise above our individual angers, perceived or real hurts, and prejudices toward others.

Rational-thinking people embrace communication, try to defuse conflicts and forgive slights or another person’s bad behavior in our day-to-day interactions.

The Ten Commandments and the New Testament teach and ingrain in our Christian faiths love, tolerance and forgiveness.

Jewish and non-radical Muslim faiths express the same ideals and philosophies, as do most other religions.

We are all fallible and sinful human beings.

Change and peace must begin within each one of us. Our beliefs, attitudes and prejudices must be re-examined. Acting out irrationally is not an option.

Seeking help through family, mentors, teachers, religious leaders or mental health professionals are the better and ideal options.

Be thoughtful toward your perceived enemies. Think of the consequences to yourself, family and loved ones before choosing to act out or pursue an irreversible decision.

The U.S. voter electorate appears to be split 50-50 in our choices between the radical right or left ideologies. I suggest that we all would be drawn to a moderate or middle-ground candidate who chooses to consider and pursue logical and rational options on the questions of national contention — trade, immigration, health, the economy, environment, as well as abortion and citizens of different sexual orientation or gender choice, let alone gun control, or reposting the Ten Commandments in school and prayer in some form daily.

Let us all choose common sense, read our Bibles, Old Testament or Koran, and tune out the contentious 24/7 radical news on our cell phones and TVs.

Agree to disagree but seek common ground to accommodate discussions and find consensus on the way forward without hate, guns, murder or suicide.

Our democracy and country’s well-being is at stake.

Charles Hugus

Malvern