I think it is time to stand up for what is right for all Americans. We are a very diverse country, made up of many different peoples with very different beliefs. But we are all Americans. No one group has an exclusive hold on what is right for all of us.

Thankfully, we live in a country that is based on the rule of law. Where all people are protected by the law, irrespective of who they are and what they believe. The fundamental protections of law and human rights apply to all.

My interpretation of one of the basic principles of what it means to be an American is “even if I do not share your beliefs, I will defend your right to have those beliefs.”

The rule of law and the belief in individual liberty are two of the greatest things that we enjoy as Americans.

The recent polarizations of our society between Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals, along with the underlying racial divides are the greatest threat to our way of life. The current discord among our people is a greater threat to our way of life than the threat from terrorists.

It is time for us as a people to wake up to the fact that not only are we all God’s children, but we are also all Americans. It is time to stop the petty bickering and name calling, to stop treating our American brothers and sisters like they have less value than ourselves, to stop believing that only our beliefs are important, to stop belittling others only because they may be different and to stop being petty and small-minded.

Our great country is facing many challenges. It needs the input from all of us to address these problems. The solutions will only be found if we work together, respecting the many different beliefs that are held by all of our people. Only solutions that represent the best of our diverse population will truly solve the problems we face today. We must stop focusing on our differences, and instead focus on what we have in common. It will take civility and compromise for us as a people and a nation to go forward successfully.

I believe the time for this is past due. Our challenges are too great for us to continue to bicker and proceed as we have been. It is time for all of us to become a part of the solution.

Ken Walker is a Vidalia resident.