America not so beautiful

I was in at the INB Performing Arts Center Saturday afternoon to watch Garrison Keillor bid farewell to Spokane in one of his final “Prairie Home Companion” radio broadcasts. He warmed the audience with a group sing-along. While singing “America The Beautiful,” I unexpectedly sobbed. It’s a lovely song that poignantly celebrates the love we have for our country.

But I realized I was thinking about divisions between political parties and citizens. The failure of leaders to distinguish lies from truth. The distortions that bombard us daily. Where is the beautiful? Corporate interests control our politics. Elected officials fail to allow affordable access to health care to all. We disparage others who worship differently or are from a different place. We deny scientific facts about the world we all share.

Somehow this must change. We must exercise our individual responsibility to become informed and vote. Our elected representatives must learn the facts, not just parrot the party line. We must hold them accountable when they don’t.

It no longer feels like “America the Beautiful.” I want to once again live in that place we sing of. It’s tainted and tarnished and dying. We must act now to get it back.

Michael Doherty

Otis Orchards