A Call to Action, Embracing Constructive Change

There’s an old saying that holds as much truth today as ever: “The only thing that never changes is that all things change.” In a time of growing uncertainty, unrest, and intensifying division, it’s important to stop and ask: What kind of change do we want to see? Change is inevitable, yes—but the nature of that change is ours to decide.

As American citizens who care about the future of this country, we must reflect on the paths taken by those before us. Few moments in history offer more insight than the contrasting stories of the American and French Revolutions. Both sought transformation—but how they pursued that goal, and what followed, tells us everything about the consequences of the methods we choose today.

The American Revolution was, at its core, a structured fight for rights and representation. The Colonists were English citizens who had lost rights once guaranteed to them under the Magna Carta. “No taxation without representation” wasn’t just a slogan; it was a declaration of intent to restore liberties they believed were theirs by birthright. The Enlightenment ideals of liberty, justice, and governance by the people shaped the American approach. While the revolution did involve armed conflict, it was not about vengeance or destruction—it was about building a nation grounded in principles of equality and democratic voice.

Now contrast that with the French Revolution. What began as a cry for justice quickly descended into chaos, anarchy, and mass violence. The old social order—the monarchy, the nobility, the clergy—was seen not just as oppressive, but inhuman. That’s how the Reign of Terror came to be. Over 17,000 people were executed by guillotine, with cheering crowds in the streets. Many thousands more perished in prisons. And how did this happen? How did one so called rational group of people come to justify mass murder of another?

They dehumanized them.

It is not instinctual for a human being to turn on another and kill without cause. That kind of cruelty requires a psychological shift. It requires turning people into objects—into things that can be discarded, eliminated, and silenced. This dangerous process begins with rhetoric—labeling others as enemies, threats, or lesser than. When this language becomes normalized, violence becomes not just possible but justified in the minds of the aggressors. This is outlined in my new book, "Bridging Political Divides"

We must ask ourselves: are we seeing that same pattern take root today?

Dehumanizing language is on the rise in political and social discourse. It doesn’t matter whether it’s coming from the right or the left. When one side begins to describe the other not as fellow Americans with different views, but as evil, worthless, or dangerous, we enter dangerous territory. And it only takes a few antagonists—those who thrive on chaos—to spark violence and destruction. We’ve seen it before in history, we see it now on college and university campuses, and we must recognize it in our present before it’s too late.

We don’t need to agree on everything. In fact, disagreement is healthy in a democratic society. But we must refuse to let our disagreements turn us into enemies. We must refuse to let our words become weapons that pave the way to violence.

Let us take the best from our own revolutionary past—the courage to stand for justice, the wisdom to use structure and dialogue—and reject the path of radical dehumanization that led France into terror.

Regardless of background, culture, gender, education, age, sexual orientation, religious beliefs, or political affiliation, we are all Americans. The strength of this nation has always been its ability to face challenge with resolve, not rage. If we can embrace calm, reason, and respect, we can shape change that uplifts rather than destroys. Let this be our call to action. Not to tear down, but to build. Not to divide, but to unite.

The choice is ours. And the future is watching.