I WANT MY COUNTRY BACK. I am not a Republican or a Democrat. I am an American. I believe in the basic values I grew up with— hard work, humility, and the golden rule of treating others as you would like to be treated. I believe in a higher power that informs the world, but I do not believe that truth is the exclusive domain of one religion, nor that Fox News or CNN is gospel.

I do not want to have to unfriend or unfollow friends and relatives who I know are good and decent people, but who share hurtful or deceptive posts online that are often just talking points that belong to their “tribe.” I believe that protesters should be listened to and heard, and that many of our institutions need to be reformed, but that people in uniform should be respected as long as they are respecting the rights of others.

I believe that we are best as a country when we pull together against a common enemy— whether to ght fascism in World War II or send dimes to the White House to defeat the deadly polio virus. And that we are the most innovative and creative country the world has ever seen that has gone to the moon, taught cars to park themselves, and developed social media platforms like this that can connect us all like never before.

I believe that though we often fall short and become divided, in our hearts, most of us believe in the aspirations on which this country was founded, that we as a country like the moral universe, despite our stumbles, bend towards justice.

I believe that we all want free and fair elections for which our countrymen and women have fought and died, and that we should not suddenly politicize a few months from our elections an institution like the post-oce which was written into our constitution.

I call on Republicans and Democrats to come back to Washington and nd a way to work together to nd a way to ensure all concerns about thisCealercltKionurcalannbdeearddressed so that both in person and absentee ballots are counted and concerns about universal mail in votings are addressed. We just spent several trillion dollars so don’t tell me that is not possible. And I believe that no member of congress nor employees of the White House should get another paycheck until they sit down and nd a compromise to address the national crisis we are going through and give relief to those we all agree need it so they can get back to work safely when possible.

I hope that on November 4th (or December 4th if necessary), after all the votes are counted, we can nd a way past these divisions. The common enemy should be coronavirus— not each other. There will be other challenges ahead. And we are always as a nation, better when we work together, then when we tear each other apart.

G-d Bless America. I am praying for all of us. And if what you read above does not make sense to you, please feel free to unfriend or unfollow me. I plan on still smiling and greeting you civilly next time we meet. (And hopefully one day that will be without wearing a mask.)