Since the attempted assassination of former President Trump, there has been a lot of talk about unity, coming together across the divisions of American politics. Talk in the abstract, mind you – because, in reality, if we haven’t come together after the pandemic, and the inhumane war in Gaza, and Sandy Hook, well, there’s not much chance that we’ll suddenly be drawn to comradeship now.
Which brings me to “Kumbaya,” which, you know, people talk about, but nobody sings anymore.
There was a time when the sincere, simple melody recorded by the likes of Pete Seeger and Joan Baez was a staple of social protests and campfire singalongs. Sometimes swaying with linked arms, or maybe watching sparks fly up into the summertime night, we would sing with open heart and clear voice, in what might have been imagined by some as a plea for the oppressed – but which seemed to me, as a youngster, as more simply a call for fellowship.
But we’re not so much into togetherness these days. In fact, the word “kumbaya” is mainly used derisively, describing what nobody wants to be seen welcoming. There will be no kumbaya moments here, politicians have assured us repeatedly in recent years. Standing firm is what politics is all about these days, not linking arms with anybody. The denigration of the very idea of kumbaya has become a staple of political rhetoric.
To be clear, there’s good reason to fight for what you believe — notably, when compromise would mean yielding on a matter of morality. We say truth-telling is a moral imperative — I mean, it’s in the Ten Commandments, folks. Which should make standing up to political lies an essential task.
But discord isn’t something most of us crave. After all, it’s bad for us: Northeastern University researchers published a study in 2022 suggesting that political polarization (in the study’s words) “significantly drives stress and anxiety among Americans.” And our conflicts are leading to the fraying of communities along partisan lines, which is making the country almost ungovernable.
So it makes sense that we ought to do what we can to enhance both our awareness and our enjoyment of the ways in which we’re more alike than separate.
The other day, the website Axios took note of the “reality distortion bubble” that is warping us into believing that we’re surrounded by conflict. But get this: A new poll finds that roughly 90 percent of Americans agree on the importance of our key rights — the right to vote, to equal protection under the law, to freedom of religion and speech, and to privacy. Yet for all that agreement – 9 out of 10 on the really big issues – we’re often distracted by “edge-case outrages,” which politicians amplify, though the numbers show that in reality, things are mostly next to normal.
Part of the problem is that social media platforms are powered by the people who draw the biggest followings, which they gain by being provocative and partisan. Those are the successful politicians, too – as Donald Trump shows. Provocation drives news coverage, which is increasingly influenced by the intentionally distorted views of Fox News. You can’t blame people for responding to fears they’ve been force-fed by dishonest information brokers – which, folks, defines Fox News.
But most of the people we encounter day-to-day aren’t so different from us. And we ought to celebrate what we share. Those good folks aren’t the problem we need to confront. Rather, our focus must be on the political and media players who are cynically trying to manipulate public opinion – those loud voices from the fringe, many of whom hold some power in Washington these days, or are trying to get it.
It's not that we should smooth over our differences, or let wishful thinking lure us to walk arm-in-arm with those who would sacrifice our principles for their personal aggrandizement. That’s not it: Kumbaya moments can’t be an objective; they have to be a byproduct of a shared sensibility, earned by a society that promises fairness and security for all.
The candidates who talk about that are the people we ought to be listening to. And their success would be worth singing about. I’d meet you around that campfire anytime.
Rex Smith, the co-host of The Media Project on WAMC, is the former editor of the Times Union of Albany and The Record in Troy. His weekly digital report, The Upstate American, is published by Substack.
The views expressed by commentators are solely those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the views of this station or its management.