LDS Freedom Forum

18 years ago was the last time I can remember us being unified as a nation. It lasted for maybe a year.

15 And it came to pass that there was no contention in the land, because of the love of God which did dwell in the hearts of the people.
16 And there were no envyings, nor strifes, nor tumults, nor whoredoms, nor lyings, nor murders, nor any manner of lasciviousness; and surely there could not be a happier people among all the people who had been created by the hand of God.
17 There were no robbers, nor murderers, neither were there Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.
18 And how blessed were they! For the Lord did bless them in all their doings; yea, even they were blessed and prospered until an hundred and ten years had passed away; and the first generation from Christ had passed away, and there was no contention in all the land. 4 Nephi 1 15-18

There were two ranchers living side by side in southwestern Montana. They bickered and fought because each thought a rusty barbed wire fence that separated their ranches was not the true property line. Each felt the other was encroaching upon his land. The real estate records were unclear at the county courthouse.

They forbade their children to play with one another. The conflict became worse. Finally, after years of exchanging words and threats, one of the ranchers said to himself, “Enough of this.” He drove down the lane from his place onto the county road and then down the long driveway to his neighbor’s place.

“What do you want?” his adversary asked.

“Look, you take your hired men and your sons, and I’ll take mine; and we’ll put the fence wherever you’d like it. I’ve had enough of this. I want us to be friends.”

His raw-boned neighbor softened, and tears ran down both of their faces. The neighbor responded, “Hey, let’s drive to Virginia City and record that the present fence is where both of us want the property line to be.”

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... d?lang=eng

I note signs of disunity in the LDS Church also. The illegal immigration issue was raging in Arizona several years ago, and again more recently in Maricopa County. The candidacy and election of certain legislators and other AZ state officers is also always a source of bad feelings.

The US is supposed to be a loose confederation of sovereign states that govern themselves based on the political cultures of it's people, willing to live and let live, thus being different. The only unifying force was for commerce and defense for the well being of the whole. If we got back to the idea of a true federal republic, we'd be much better off. California does not have to be like Alabama and visa versa. Instead we have everybody fighting for the center to control all. The one ring.

The dark arts of subjugating others through cultural imperialism started in the 1860's where one region forcefully subjugated and destroyed the other. That battle still rages today.

As a result, most Americans are interested in what happens in the Imperial city rather than locally. They see the states as mere administrative units of the federal government rather than as sovereigns. The states have all the power. They created the federal government and can certainly uncreate it or simply leave it. What we should really be doing is working to nullify all unconstitutional federal law in our states, which is pretty much most everything that comes out of Washington.