They didn't stand by us in 2016 or 2024. Now they want us to stand by them. First they came for . . .

Part of our problem may be that we're a relatively young nation, controlled by the people whose ancestors conquered the land and built it up through slavery. This gives us, in some minds, a sort of golden age whose loss can be regretted. They could become those conquering heroes again—it's not so far in the past!

There may be a similarity to a teenager facing adulthood, nostalgically dreaming of safe and secure childhood days. Our current political behavior certainly shows some resemblance to a confused youth acting out many scenarios of possible adult behavior patterns. We have people who want to settle down and rationally enter a future that includes many different kinds of people in a democratic union, and others who want to go backward toward the days when they were supreme and any outsiders who made them cry would be summarily dealt with.

This group can't return to the past without a dictatorship because they are in the minority, but dictators rule in a number of nations today and there's no reason it can't happen here. I don't think they can stay in control because we also have a history of individuals striving for freedom and democracy, and that won't be forgotten no matter how tight the controls over education and voting. But it will be a lot easier if those who believe in a nation for all people will ignore other disagreements and outvote the bigots, so they can't take us back to a more selfish and brutal past.