March 8, 2025
America’s story has long been one of hope, reinvention, and the pursuit of unity in the face of countless challenges. Yet, from the late 1960s through today, the nation has often cycled through disheartening moments of extreme political friction. We’ve witnessed civil unrest, party divisions, scandals, and cultural upheavals in a seemingly never-ending loop. One can glance at any decade—1968, 1974, 1980, 2025—and find all too similar headlines: protests, gridlock, insults hurled back and forth, and a stubborn unwillingness to see those with a different opinion as fellow Americans rather than enemies.
In our current era, many feel we’ve graduated from mere disagreement to open contempt. “The Hateful States of America” is not a title any of us wishes to embrace, yet it describes precisely how divided we have become. We swear we want unity, yet we clench our fists when asked to extend a hand. Both Democrats and Republicans, in different ways, continue to spiral in cycles of anger. Despite having weathered everything from the Vietnam War to Watergate, from the Iran-Contra affair to modern-day disputes over border security and cultural issues, we somehow fail to grasp that the hostility ripping us apart is the same old hostility that bruised us decades ago. As the saying goes, “The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
Below is a reflection on how we’ve arrived (yet again) at this stalemate, a call to remember our shared humanity, and a reminder that faith—especially for those who identify as Christians in both major parties—demands we reject hate or risk losing far more than an election. If we truly believe in a higher power, we must confront the fact that hate and bitterness cannot coexist with genuine faith. Indeed, as Scripture warns, we have “forgotten how to blush” (see Jeremiah 6:15; 8:12) when faced with moral wrongs—a tragic sign of our spiritual callousness.
1. A Brief Look Back: The Cycles We Repeat
The following is an excerpt from my book "The Republicrat - A Plea To Humanity" which includes the poem "1968" that I wrote: “My name is WLBJ. I was born on August 11, 1968, during the hottest part of the summer, roughly 4 months after Martin Luther King was killed… 1968 was a year many argue was one of the most tumultuous years in United States history. It was a year of utter violence and conflict…
“1968”
It was the second-floor balcony of the Rain Motel.
There lay a man and what a long way he fell.
Say it wasn't King, but time would tell
Barely two months later went Kennedy as well.
Later that year TV saw its first interracial kiss,
but being interracial myself
the coming years were anything but bliss.
In an attempt to heal without the sound of a judge's gavel,
we focused on Boeing's flight and setting records in space travel,
Was it possible that anything of value could come of this year
Lord God have mercy because, at times, it wasn’t clear.
There were riots in the streets, murder, the constant stench of fear
Forgive me as it wasn’t all bad and this won’t be an endless rant
Some great things happened too, like the first heart transplant
Other things happened like the Beatles “White Album” was released
But even still at Tlatelolco and My Lai, precious souls were deceased
But a part of who I am emerged, for the part of me that’s black
Great God Almighty, I thank you so much for the Civil Rights Act
Thurgood Marshall in the Court and MLK on the street,
Together they called for racisms long overdue defeat
Clashes at the DNC, still reeling from Tet Offensive and Prague Spring
How long oh God and is there any hope that 1968 can bring
The summer Olympics in Mexico marked the “Black Power” salute
Despite protests and boycott calls, black athletes remained resolute
A tumultuous year, but we pressed on, unwilling to yield to a defeated fate
Thank God we didn’t quit, we pressed on to be great, thank God for 1968"
From Chapter 11 of "The Republicrat - A Plea To Humanity" By WLBJ.
The late 1960s:
Vietnam War and the Draft: Protests erupted nationwide, dividing families and communities over whether the United States should even be involved in Southeast Asia.
Civil Rights Movement: 1968 saw the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., sparking riots in dozens of American cities and intensifying debates over race and justice.
1968 Democratic National Convention: A deeply fractured Democratic Party showcased violent clashes between protesters and police in Chicago. Republicans labeled Democrats the party of lawlessness, while Democrats claimed they were championing civil liberties. Today we can think of the Ferguson unrest and Colombia University Protest and Republicans saying the same thing with a $400 million!
The 1970s and early 1980s:
Watergate: President Richard Nixon (Republican) resigned in 1974 under threat of impeachment, and the scandal sowed deep distrust of government.
Democratic vs. Republican Shifts: Southern Democrats (often called Dixiecrats) who resisted civil rights reforms gradually drifted into the Republican Party. Republicans were thus labeled racist by some observers, while Democrats were labeled weak or unpatriotic for opposing certain wars.
Carter and Reagan: President Jimmy Carter (Democrat) struggled with an energy crisis, inflation, and the Iran hostage crisis. Ronald Reagan (Republican) swept into office in 1980 with a “strong America” message, championing policies that critics said favored the wealthy and fueled a massive military buildup.
From the vantage point of today, these historical moments look painfully familiar: each side demonizes the other, each side claims the moral high ground, and each side believes the other is “ruining” America. The cyclical pattern remains: protest, outrage, demonization, attempt at reform, scandal, repeat.
2. Modern Parallels: Scandal, State of the Union Tensions, and Internal Party Critiques
“…They couldn’t stand for the kid with cancer, the moms of dead kids, and more…”
In recent years, tensions have boiled over in high-profile settings like State of the Union addresses. There have been:
Instances of Members Heckling: Representatives have shouted at presidents mid-speech, leading to rebukes or calls for censure.
Refusals to Stand or Clap: Some Democrats refused to stand in moments traditionally treated as unifying or neutral—such as applauding a child who survived cancer or honoring military families. Conversely, Republicans have, in other presidencies, staged similar silent protests or walkouts when they vehemently disagreed with the occupant of the White House.
Representative Al Green’s Outburst
Accounts circulated of Representative Al Green (D-TX) being escorted out of the chamber after interrupting @realDonaldTrump's presidential speech by shouting, “You have no mandate!” According to news summaries, the House voted to censure Green, with at least 10 Democrats joining Republicans in favor of it. These episodes illustrate how even within parties, there can be strong disagreement about what constitutes decorum and productive dissent.
Criticism from Within the Democratic Party
Notable figures within the Democratic Party itself have voiced displeasure over perceived disrespect. In one such instance, a lifelong Democrat lamented:
“If Democrats can’t even applaud a kid beating cancer, grieving families, saving tax dollars, securing our borders or a call for peace—what does that say about us? … I’m embarrassed for my party. But more importantly, I am worried for my country.”
Another local Democratic politician, New York City Council Member Robert Holden, has similarly warned:
“Democrats are becoming the political equivalent of a car alarm—constantly blaring and increasingly ignored. Voters want leaders who act like adults, who clap for good ideas, no matter who proposes them, and who show bipartisan respect for families who’ve suffered unimaginable loss… If Democrats can’t even applaud a kid beating cancer… what does that say about us?”
None of this is to imply Republicans hold a monopoly on virtue; they engage in plenty of mudslinging themselves—memes, mocking, social media attacks, and so on. The result on both sides is a deeply entrenched hostility that is corroding our national psyche.
3. Cultural Decline Reflected in Entertainment: A Symptom of Broken Values?
“…Even trying to find family-friendly movies of late is an impossible task… I recently looked up Robin Hood with Russell Crowe… we can usually stomach some PG-13 movies… to my horror and disgust, the following is what is considered PG-13 nowadays…” ~WLBJ~
Sometimes, the cultural tide can reflect our deeper social and moral decline. If we are honest, the standards for what constitutes “family-friendly” content in mainstream entertainment have shifted significantly. Here is the exact text from a Parents Guide for the 2010 film Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe:
Sex & Nudity
Mild
34 of 72 found this mild
A woman interrupts her son and his mistress having sex in bed (they are obviously completely nude but are covered by the sheets). Cleavage is shown. The man gets up and stands naked with his front to his mother and back to his mistress, so no penis is seen, but we can see his butt. He puts on a robe and talks to his mother about business matters. We see a brief glimpse of one of the woman's nipples. Robin's men have sex with prostitutes (offscreen, though it's obvious what has taken place). A man while lying on the ground sees a woman changing her clothes behind a see-through curtain. There is no nudity and the scene is cut short when he lays down to sleep. In one scene a woman is nearly raped. She stops this by lifting her skirt to her upper thigh, revealing a knife, and stabbing and killing her assailant. A handful of non-explicit sexual jokes and implications.
For many families, this content crosses a line they are not comfortable with, especially for younger viewers. Others might dismiss it as merely “mild” by modern standards. Either way, it indicates just how casual explicit or near-explicit content has become in mainstream PG-13 entertainment.
What does this have to do with politics and hate? In a broad sense, our societal norms are shaped by what we consume. When violence, sexual content, and shock factor dominate entertainment, it can dull our collective conscience. The same coarsening seeps into political discourse—turn on cable news or browse social media, and the vitriol is often just as intense. As faith recedes from public consciousness, it becomes easier to treat opponents with contempt and less reverence. Indeed, we no longer even blush at depravity, further confirming the scriptural lament.
4. A Biblical Perspective: Hate Cannot Coexist with Genuine Faith
“We haven’t really become too civilized… We are too stupid to see the evil forces and our own selfish hearts that bait us into such evil and hate… We wonder why our society is spiraling into depravity and hatred. It’s because we have turned away from God. We have forgotten how to blush.” ~WLBJ~
Many in the United States identify as Christians—indeed, as of the 118th Congress (2023-2025), Pew Research notes around 88% of members of Congress self-identify as Christian. This includes both Republicans and Democrats, though Republicans on average have a slightly higher percentage of self-described Christians. Meanwhile, in the general American population, about 63% of adults still identify as Christian (down from higher percentages in past decades).
Yet, if so many profess Christianity, why do we see so little Christian charity? Scripture is unequivocal about harboring hate:
1 John 3:15 (NIV): “Anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life residing in him.”
Jeremiah 17:9 (KJV): “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?”
2 Timothy 3:5 (KJV) speaks of those “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof…”—an apt description for those who flaunt religious identity yet live in perpetual spite, never showing grace.
2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV): “…If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
If we truly believe these verses, we must acknowledge that no Christian—Republican or Democrat—can stand self-righteously while simultaneously spewing hate. Unrepentant contempt for others cuts off our relationship with God. Neither republican nor democrat who does this will enter the kingdom of heaven. Indeed, the call for unity is not merely a quaint political slogan; it is a spiritual imperative.
5. The Physiological and Psychological Toll of Hate
Beyond spiritual concerns, hate exacts a severe physical and mental cost:
Stress on the Body: Chronic anger elevates levels of cortisol and adrenaline, leading to high blood pressure, heart disease, and a weakened immune system over time.
Brain Health: Studies show that sustained animosity can reduce cognitive flexibility and empathy, effectively making us more entrenched in destructive thinking patterns.
Social Isolation: Hatred breeds isolation, as we cut ourselves off from meaningful dialogue, thereby reinforcing echo chambers that amplify our biases.
In short, the more we feed hatred, the more it feeds on us. Over time, this can degrade not just our politics but our families, friendships, and communities.
6. Times When We Got Along (Yes, It Has Happened)
Not all is hopeless. There have been moments of bipartisanship throughout American history—times when principle and mutual respect took precedence over scoring political points. Two examples often cited include:
Post-Watergate Bipartisanship: Democrats and Republicans in Congress ultimately joined forces to hold President Nixon accountable. Though Watergate was a tragedy, it also demonstrated that principle could transcend partisanship.
Reagan and Tip O’Neill: President Ronald Reagan (Republican) and Speaker of the House Tip O’Neill (Democrat) were known for fiery debates. Yet they cultivated a personal friendship and found compromise on Social Security reform, tax codes, and other issues.
These snapshots prove that we can work together when we choose to see each other as Americans first, and partisans second. It shouldn’t take a crisis or scandal to remind us of that. Unfortunately, we so often forget.
7. A Call for True Repentance and Unity
If we the people would turn to God, He would heal our land and I feel this, true repentance, is really the only thing that can bring about unity on both sides. Even Republicans are guilty of having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof because they do the same evil hate, making memes and mocking Democrats and it goes back and forth. You are fooling yourself if you think you are going to heaven continuing in this manner.
It is time for an honest national reflection that goes beyond party platforms:
Acknowledge the Role of Faith: If the majority in both parties claim to be Christian, then we must revisit Christ’s teaching to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” (Matthew 5:44). We cannot simply label entire parties or communities as irredeemable.
Reject the “Car Alarm” Approach: Constant outrage leads people to tune out. As Robert Holden (D) warns, we become a mere annoyance. Reasoned discourse, willingness to listen, and the capacity to applaud good ideas—no matter the source—must be revived.
Decorum and Dignity: Standing or applauding during State of the Union addresses for nonpartisan moments—such as honoring a child fighting cancer or acknowledging grieving families—should transcend personal or party-based dislike of the person speaking.
Renew Civility: We can vigorously disagree over policy without vilifying each other. If we refuse to do so, we violate the very values upon which our constitutional republic rests—in God we trust, freedom of speech, respect for the rule of law, and a desire for the common good.
Seek Common Ground: Republicans and Democrats often find they share certain core desires: safer communities, better economic prospects, and a fair justice system. That is a starting point for conversation, not condemnation.
8. The Verdict: Are We Doomed to Repeat the Same Mistakes?
Our history is rife with warnings. We see how the late 1960s and 1970s were marred by racial tensions, political assassinations, and a catastrophic war overseas. We see how partisanship in the 1980s fueled new forms of cultural warfare, from Reaganomics to the Iran-Contra scandal. Today, the animosity may be delivered via social media memes or 24/7 news cycles, yet the underlying contempt is the same.
If we carry on unchanged—hating, slandering, refusing to unify—then yes, we are bound to keep reliving our darkest chapters, sliding toward deeper division and irreparable social damage. The price? Our collective future. Our children’s future. Our spiritual well-being. We end up in hell for the sin of implacability Romans 1:31-32.
Yet there remains hope. If we ask ourselves whether it must be this way, the answer is no. If enough Americans of good conscience—Republican, Democrat, or otherwise—insist on a better path, we can break the cycle.
9. A Pledge Toward Healing: From “Hateful” to Hopeful
Let us declare:
We will no longer be “The Hateful States of America.”
We will stand, at minimum, for shared moments of human decency, such as honoring families of the fallen or celebrating a child overcoming adversity—no matter the politics of the speaker.
We will not degrade our opponents into caricatures or demons. Disagreement is necessary for democracy; dehumanization is not.
We commit to challenging lies and corruption on every side, recognizing that no party has a monopoly on virtue or vice.
We will remember the scriptural warnings that a hateful heart is incompatible with genuine faith. Whether you are a Republican who professes Christianity or a Democrat who does the same, the biblical command to love is non-negotiable.
As for the question, “When will both Democrats and Republicans realize we are repeating the same old cycles, controlled by higher spiritual forces of division and hate? ” Ephesians 6:12—the answer is only when we collectively choose to face it. This means each individual must examine their own heart, question their own media consumption, hold their own leaders accountable, and remember that the seeds of discord can only grow if we water them. Indeed, we must rediscover the capacity to blush at wrongdoing rather than shrug it off.
Final Word
“We are ‘The Hateful States of America,’ repeating endless cycles of depravity and it’s getting worse. A call for unity is crucial.”
Despite the bleakness, let us find solace and motivation in knowing that America has risen to better angels before. We do not have to wait for a national calamity to rediscover our neighborly love. As the apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:21 (NIV): “Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil with good.”
Almost miraculously, as of the time of this writing, republican Congresswoman @RepLuna has teamed up with Democrat Congresswoman @AOC to take on Credit Card greed in what is almost a historic announcement these days as seen in this almost Iconic, historic, heartwarming, powerfully inspiring picture!! Why, Why can't we do more of this? Maybe I am overly emotional about this due to grieving our divisions before the Lord All day, But this is so empowering and inspiring for me. I am so proud of these two women and I know Jesus is as well.
To read further that Senator @HawleyMO and @BernieSanders are teaming up to pass a similar bill is just as exciting! This my brothers and sisters, is how we should be leading our nation, finding common ground that we can work together on. CONGRATULATIONS. If we truly care about the soul of this nation—and our own souls—we must heed that advice. Instead of waiting for the political temperature to reach a boil, we can turn down the heat now. Let the next decade mark the era we realized the old ways—the hateful ways—were leading us nowhere. Let it be said that in our generation, we came to our senses, we cast aside the cyclical hatred, and we stood together, not just for ourselves but for future Americans yearning for unity, hope, and genuine love.
May we, by God’s grace, choose a better path and transform “The Hateful States of America” back into the “United States of America,” truly worthy of that name.
—Written in the earnest hope that we reclaim our love for one another, our moral compass, and our dignity as one Nation under God.
In His Love,
~WLBJ~