Not All Bridges Should Be Built.

In an era of rising white nationalism and authoritarianism, unity isn’t the answer—moral clarity is.

I no longer believe in unity for the sake of political correctness and appearances. I’m done pretending that the path forward for this country lies in compromise with people who have proudly embraced bigotry, authoritarianism, and the destruction of democracy. I am for division. Not because I want conflict, but because the truth is, we’re already divided—and have been for a long time. The difference now is, I see it clearly and without apology.

We’ve been sold this story that partisan polarization is inherently dangerous. That it’s a threat to democracy. That if only we could come together, find common ground, hold hands across the aisle—everything would be fine. But let’s ask the honest question: common ground with whom?

With people who think Donald Trump is above the law? With those who chant for the mass deportation of families, who call journalists enemies of the people, who ban books, deny elections, and push Christian nationalism into public policy? Am I supposed to meet them halfway? No I will not.

No. I’m not interested in sharing a table with fascists. I’m not interested in pretending that those who want to dismantle democracy are just people I “disagree” with. We don’t have different opinions—we have different values.

What’s being called “partisan polarization” is really a reflection of that deep moral divide. Yes, Gallup and Pew have tracked the growing distance between Democrats and Republicans. But that data isn’t abstract. It represents something real: a fundamental disagreement about what kind of country this should be. In the last decade, that chasm has grown because the right has moved further and further into extremism, grievance politics, and white identity rage.

I’m not afraid of polarization. I welcome it—because it’s a symptom of clarity. One must take sides because there is no magic fairy dust that will cause the extreme right to suddenly embrace human rights and equality.

There is no unifying with a party that openly courts white nationalists. That promotes conspiracy theories while attacking science, civil rights, and the right to vote. There is no reconciliation with those who applaud book bans and cheer when a Supreme Court guts bodily autonomy. The so-called “culture war” is not just a war of ideas—it’s a battle over who gets to exist freely in this country.

Let’s stop pretending this is new. America has always been divided. Racial tensions, economic inequality, and cultural battles are not modern inventions—they are the DNA of this country. From the legacy of slavery to the systemic racism embedded in education, housing, and policing, this nation has long offered vastly different realities depending on who you are.

That’s not division—it’s disparity. And it’s not healed by ignoring it. It’s healed by confronting it.

People say: “But if we’re too divided, we won’t be able to solve our problems.” That’s true—but the solution isn’t forced unity. It’s justice. We don’t get out of this mess by pretending the people burning the house down are misunderstood. We do it by organizing, by drawing lines, by defending the foundations of democracy from those who wish to destroy them.

“Yes, division can bring gridlock. But gridlock is better than giving in!”

ure, social instability is dangerous. But far more dangerous is the quiet normalization of tyranny.

Inequality—racial, economic, geographic—has always shaped this country. You can’t build unity on a rotten foundation. First, you have to name the rot. Then, you remove it. That’s not divisive. That’s survival.

I’m tired of being told to reach across the aisle to those who want to legislate me out of existence. I’m tired of being scolded for not being “civil” to people trying to dismantle public education and criminalize compassion. Civility is not a suicide pact.

What this moment requires isn’t centrism. It’s courage. The courage to name the enemy. The courage to hold the line. The courage to accept that sometimes, division is the only moral position left.

Let the record show: I will not unify with white nationalists. I will not find common ground with bigots. I will not “see both sides” of authoritarianism. I am not confused.

I stand for multiracial democracy, equality, bodily autonomy, and truth.

“I'd rather be divided by principle than united by silence and acquiescence.”

If that makes me partisan, polarized, or divisive—so be it.