We must forgive our enemies. I can truly say that not a day has passed since the war began that I have not prayed for them. — Robert E. Lee

My Take – It is a very strange thing that we do when we fight our wars.  In more distant times, a conquered people would be annihilated or driven off of their land.  But some time in the 20th century, things changed.  When we defeated Germany and Japan, we didn’t herd their people into slave pens or strip their lands to bare earth.  We spent our treasure to fend off famine in both countries and almost started World War III on multiple occasions to keep West Germany free.

Look further back in our history to our own Civil War.  The immediate aftermath of the war was almost as bitter and destructive as the war itself, but you will never find more patriotic Americans than you will find south of the Mason-Dixon line.  Former Confederates were able to look beyond the war and see the brotherhood of Americans that they were a part of.

In this tradition, we need to sew up the wounds that this most bitter campaign has opened.  No matter who wins, the Republic will survive, so long as we don’t let it die.  Our traditions, our history, and our values all point us to the right way to end this, and it’s not with blood in the streets or harsh words in the press.  Only through remembering that we are all part of the same family of humanity, the same tribe of Americans, can we get past this.