Stand up to politicians who cast fellow Americans as villains | Opinion

• Buzz Thomas is a retired Baptist minister, constitutional lawyer and a member of USA TODAY'S Board of Contributors.

Veterans Day has come and gone, but the chance to fight for your country remains. And I don’t mean by signing up for the military. For most Americans, that’s not an option. But many of us are failing our nation by quietly standing by while professional politicians divide and dismantle our beloved country. 

I’m an old white guy from a small Tennessee town, but I recently attended worship at an African-American church in Nashville. I’ve been in Black churches over the years, but honestly, it had been awhile.

I was not prepared for what I saw.

Praising police and country in a Black church

I knew the members of the congregation would pray. But I did not expect them to pray for the police. Loudly and fervently. Even more striking was the amount of time they spent honoring their military veterans. And those so honored spoke in reverential tones of what a privilege it had been to serve “this great nation of ours.” Looking at the age of the veterans, I could tell that some had served before civil rights and affirmative action. Decades before Black Lives Matter and the killing of George Floyd. Yet here they were giving thanks for America and all those who had worn the uniform.

Hear more Tennessee voices:Get the weekly opinion newsletter for insightful and thought-provoking columns.

Now, remember these were urban Black folks, 90% of whom are probably registered Democrats. Yet they sounded just like the white Republican Christians back in my hometown of Maryville. And I bet every single one of them wanted a safe neighborhood and school for their kids, a good job for themselves and reliable healthcare for Aunt Sally.

But here’s where the wheels fall off.

Letter from a congressman

When I returned home, I was greeted by a constituent letter from my local congressman portraying Democrats — like the ones with whom I had just worshipped — as anti-American. Threats to our democracy.

And their leader? Our president?

According to the letter, he wants to defund your county’s police. … He wants to open the border. … He’s cramming racist and Marxist ideology on our sweet children. … Pushing policies so far to the left that they make self-proclaimed socialists look like moderates! 

Of course, none of this is true, but the congressman’s letter only gets worse, going from mere falsehood to fear-mongering, calling Joe Biden and the Democrats “ruthless” and “a real threat to your way of life.” “To keep patriots like you safe,” it concludes … SEND MONEY.

I am not making this up. I still have the letter.

Do I think there are Democrats out there doing the same sort of thing? I’m certain of it. But they’re not my congressman, and I don’t have their letters.

Remember U.S. Sen. John McCain? The decorated war hero who ran for president in 2008? There was a moment in one of the televised campaign events when an audience member went to a microphone and attacked the character and religious commitment of McCain’s opponent, U.S. Sen. Barack Obama. What did McCain do? He rose to his rival’s defense, chastising the woman for engaging in such personal attacks.

Sign up for our newsletter:Read compelling columns by Black writers from across Tennessee.

But now the world has turned upside down, and it is our elected leaders who are engaging in such scurrilous behavior. And it is our turn — our duty — to rise to our fellow citizens’ defense and declare, “Enough!” 

I relearned that Sunday that we’re more alike than different. That though religion, race and politics matter, people are people and Americans are Americans. 

Professional politicians have become shameless purveyors of hatred and fear, playing up our differences, demonizing the other side and turning us against one another. If you love your country, join me in standing up to them. The fight in Iraq and Afghanistan may be winding down, but the fight for America is still winding up.   

Please enlist. 

Buzz Thomas is a retired Baptist minister, constitutional lawyer and former top public schools leader in East Tennessee.