Belonging to America Again

Can We Dare To Hope of All Belonging to America Again?

We can all look back on 2020 and reflect on the divisions, whether they be of race, gender, class or otherwise and while 2020 challenged many of us, it was also our year of opportunity for change, for inclusivity and for Belonging. 

President-Elect Joe Biden, the 46th President of the United States of America, has Unity and Belonging on his mind. With a record-breaking number of votes, Biden and his running mate, Vice President-Elect, Kamala Harris, the first woman of color and immigrant parents to stand in this position, are ready to take on the battle of their entire careers. 

Words of Unity and Belonging

Both stood proudly in front of their nation and the world. Harris spoke passionately of her desire to reunite the country and heal the soul of its nation once again; while Biden proclaimed his notion of no more red and blue but united states only. “I plead to be a president that seeks not to divide but to unify, who does not see ‘Red States’ or ‘Blue States’ but the United States.”

Belonging a soulful experience

Belonging is an inherent need that every human being has deep down in their soul. The desire to be accepted by and into relationships with others, be a part of social groups, families, communities, and tribes is fundamental. While the idea is a simple one, the act is not always so straightforward. ‘Belonging requires the ability to establish and maintain fulfilling relationships in order for a person to feel as though they belong.’ (Baumeister and Leary, 1995)

In order for people to feel like they belong they need to feel safe and be able to trust the intentions of others. People with common views, interests, or in the same special circles can find mutual ground with one another, and as a result, can establish meaningful relationships and unified connections. People always have intentions, not always honorable, and these can be determining factors for people when they are deciding whether or not they can start to establish a trusting relationship with others. 

Everybody wants to believe that the friendships and bonds we create and maintain are going to be build on trust and mutual respect for each other. That is why, when a group of people, collectively, feel like they all belong and have established endearing relationships with one another then there is an obvious sense of harmony and unity amongst them. 

How Do We Move On From The Polarization & Dysfunction of The past?

Following the Election, the response to the new President has been a divided one. The supporters of the outgoing president are on one side and the supporters of the incoming president on the other. Already, they are starting to open up to the idea of President Biden and Vice President Harris having the ability to pave the way for a more United America.

In the past, the American people have felt angry with their nation’s polarization and the dysfunction going on in Washington. As a result, their anger stopped them from feeling safe, respected and even a valued citizen in their own country. 

Back in mid-2019, many Americans agreed with a statement made by columnist Paul Waldman’s who believed that the country is currently not in the mood for reconciliation and has not been for some time. While it has been over a year since that column and its findings were reported, we wonder if anything has changed for America since? 

The pandemic, the social unrest, race wars and of course the Presidential election, maybe the ingredients needed to change the minds of those Americans who opposed reconciliation a mere 12 months ago. 

A Democratic party win, many Americans feel has been long overdue, and still, others wonder if this simply shifts the division from one group to another? While tens of millions support Biden’s plans to work together to eliminate the most deep-rooted issues that America face; systemic racism, gender inequality, unfair justice systems and the current climate crisis, there are those that need a little more convincing. In the meantime, we can see that Biden and Harris are living demonstrations of what is possible in America.  

With the elections over, do we dare to hope that these two are the chosen ones to lead us forward to meet our destiny of a culture of Unity and Belonging for all? I guess only time will tell.