By A.G. Akers
What brings people together?

Why start an article with a question (or two)?

Because it is a big one as we think of the current state of our country.

The root word for reconciliation is “conciliare,” a Latin word meaning to bring together. Add the “re” to it and you get “to bring back together.” To my thinking that means what was once a less contentious, more harmonious relationship among people has been severed and should be reconnected.

Or should it?

History has always been a fascinating subject to me. If I could pick one history volume to read over any other it would be the Bible. My second choice would be 1776 by David McCullough. Studying the birth of the United States of America provides many valuable insights into human nature. It is also the starting point for what unifies us or brings us together as a freedom-loving society.

Our founding fathers had the courage and forethought to think through the establishment of a constitution that would guarantee certain freedoms for all people regardless of who they are. These freedoms have been tested and fought over throughout our 240 years of existence.

We are a nation of people with opinions and are guaranteed through the First Amendment of our Constitution that we can express them!

However, there are internal and external forces that seek to suppress and manipulate our opinions and tear apart that which binds us. These forces use dishonesty, greed, selfishness, prejudice, hatred, jealousy, propaganda, and discontent as the tools to accomplish the division we see in our society today. I don’t need to give specific examples because they are as close as our phones, our televisions, our highways, retail stores, our workplaces, and even places of worship (God forbid).

Our founding fathers used the Bible as a foundational reference for crafting our Constitution and initial government. These thoughts bring me back to my favorite volume of books, the Bible, to seek solutions.

So what are the common threads that weave the fabric of our society as Americans? The prophet Micah, from the Bible, shares what God deems important.

He writes, “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God” (Micah 6:8).

With these three requirements we can begin to reconcile that which initially brought us together on these shores.

When we recognize our differences and value each other for the diversity of talents and experiences they bring to our society, we begin that process of reconciliation.

Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived, wrote, “And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him - and a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Ecclesiastes 4:12)
I recognize some people reading this may stop at this point and say to themselves, “Oh, here we go with the preaching again.” I get that. I’ve used books to help make my point; now I think I’ll use one of my favorite movies to drive it home.

“The Outlaw Josey Wales” is a movie I have watched numerous times. The movie was released in 1976, a patriotic time, but also a tumultuous time following the Vietnam conflict. Its setting is another tumultuous time for our country, the Civil War. Josey Wales is a Missouri farmer who finds his family murdered in his burned-out home by Union militia forces.

Josey joins the Confederate cause and seeks revenge for the atrocities. He guns down a number of these Missouri “redleg” militia after the war is over and becomes an outlaw. As he makes his way toward the southwest to find a new life, he meets his “new family”—settlers and an old Indian chief with his squaw that take up with him in hopes of finding a new home and peace. They find a valley in Comanche Indian country, and Josey knows he must confront the Comanche before they attack. He rides into the Comanche village and is surrounded by more than 100 angry warriors.

Ten Bears, the chief, rides forward.

Josey: You’ll be Ten Bears?

Ten Bears: I am Ten Bears.

Josey: I’m Josey Wales.

Ten Bears: I have heard. You’re the Gray Rider. You would not make peace with the Bluecoats. You may go in peace.

Josey: I reckon not. Got nowhere to go.

Ten Bears: Then you will die.

Josey: I came here to die with you. Or live with you. Dying’s not hard for you and me. It’s living that’s hard, when all you ever cared about has been butchered or raped.

Governments don’t live together. People live together. Governments don’t give you a fair word or a fair fight. I’ve come here to give you either one. Or get either one from you.

I came here like this so you’ll know my word of death is true. And that my word of life is then true. The bear lives, the wolf, the antelope, the Comanche. And so will we. We’ll only hunt what we need to live on, same as the Comanche does. And every spring when the Comanche moves north, he can rest here in peace, butcher some of our cattle, and jerk beef for the journey.

The sign of the Comanche, that will be on our lodge. That’s my word of life.

Ten Bears: And your word of death?

Josey: It’s here in my pistols and there in your rifles. I’m here for either one.

Ten Bears: These things you say we will have, we already have.

Josey: That’s true. I ain’t promising you nothing extra. I’m just giving you life, and you’re giving me life. And I’m saying men can live together without butchering one another.

Ten Bears: It’s sad that governments are chiefed by double-tongues. There is iron in your words of death for all Comanches to see. And so there is iron in your words of life. No signed paper can hold the iron. It must come from men.

The words of Ten Bears carry the same iron of life and death. It is good that warriors such as we meet in the struggle of life or death. It shall be life.

At this point they make a blood pact and shake.

Ten Bears: So will it be.

Josey Wales: I reckon so.

In the course of human conflict and societal division, it is the responsibility of the people to find reconciliation.
I reckon so!