OPINION: Our country is in crisis. Let’s hope it brings out the best in us.

“E Pluribus Unum” — “Out of many, one.” Our Founding Fathers had a dream for our country, a bold new concept of a classless society; where all men are created equal. Of course, this original idea might have been a bit presumptuous given its era of slavery, and that women and Native Americans were not yet allowed to vote. Still, this heralded concept became our centerline on a path toward true equality for all; winding through numerous protests, court challenges and a war that killed more Americans than any other war we have ever fought. It is a twisting and sometimes torturous path that we all are still on.

Consider for a moment that you are on a boat, when suddenly you accidentally fall overboard. Not necessarily a strong swimmer, you find yourself flailing just beneath the surface, filling with a terrifying thought that you are about to drown. Then a hand from above is thrust into the water, reaching out for you. At that very moment, would you care what color, gender, religion, nationality or even political party that hand is? If at that moment — the most critical moment in your life — you wouldn’t care, then why should you at any other, lesser moments?

What makes this hypothetical relevant? That we, the American society, perhaps seem to only exhibit true equality during times of crisis, whether it is war, terrorists attacks, or disasters. Americans come together to help Americans, regardless of our differences.

If you are comfortable with that, why at any other time do we persist in squabbling among ourselves, striving for individual or group recognition, superiority, or power? Why is it that when we are not facing some larger threat, we revert to our more singular and perhaps more self-centered selves?

These are questions easier asked than answered. Still, I prefer to believe that almost all of us posses a universal sense of compassion for one another. One example is the story that during our own Civil War, when the cease fire was called for Christmas, soldiers of the North and South had exchanged food and tobacco by floating it on small improvised rafts across streams to each other. Even these enemies understood that each were fighting for a cause, rather than for a personal hatred of each other. If this example is true, then maybe today’s strife might just be also about opposing causes.

Our country has two major political parties with differing positions on issues, which to an outsider may seem confusing. For instance, one party is against abortions, but in favor of the death penalty; the other party is for abortions, but against the death penalty. This suggests that “preserving life” doesn’t appear to be included in either party’s principles.

This is not a knock on the party system. Our Founding Fathers had agreed that having differing views should create a stronger resolution; or maybe that it takes a little heat to forge a stronger instrument. So it isn’t the party system that has guided us for almost 250 years that concerns me; what has changed, perhaps, is our ability to see the real focus of it.

Formerly, we were once made aware of events by our daily newspapers, radio and TV newscasts through consciously unbiased reporting. Back then, news was largely localized and limited in its transmission and distribution, as well as by the time and space available to describe such events. If there were a need for an opinion related to a story, the newscast would end with a “commentary,” which was preceded by a disclaimer that the views about to be expressed are not necessarily those of that news agency.

Today, we live in an age of instant information through the lenses of 24-hour media, along with instantaneous but uncontrolled social media. News networks report events that are usually fact-checked, but many are projected with the views that align with the priorities of that particular news agency. Internet “news” includes rumor, personal interpretation and speculation, especially on issues that may still be evolving. Unfortunately, in the next cycle of this news is the reaction of others to this reported topic, further devolving the issue with this portrayal of emotions in a circular pattern that infers how you too should react. All this is protected by our First Amendment.

Understanding that this newer communicative technology has created a huge impact on our once fairly routine society, it will take time for us to adjust to it, just as prior generations had to adjust to the innovations introduced in their times. In the meantime, let us all hope that the majority of us recognizes this; otherwise, we might be drawn in to actualize our own an internal crisis. If that disaster happens, it will test us, and hopefully not violently. But Heaven willing, this crisis should again bring out the best of us, allowing us to resume our national journey toward equality together.

Walt Monegan is a former commissioner of the Alaska Department of Public Safety. He also served the city of Anchorage in many capacities, from patrolman to chief of police, from 1974 to 2006.

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