WHY are politicians and community leaders intent on building roadblocks against scarce, noble virtues like unity and civility.
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Invasion Day passed us by on Friday, Ukrainian tennis players snubbed Russian and Belarusian players, people took sides over the Middle East war with horrendous, vile chants like: 'Gas the Jews'.
Woollies banned Australia Day paraphernalia, almost two thirds of us opposed the Voice because of government incompetence and the media keeps feeding the division with bias and sensationalism.
In the US, Fox News is a megaphone for the Far Right and Donald Trump, while CNN amplifies the mantra of the Left and Far Left.
CNN covers every minutiae of Trump's legal woes, like it's doing the bidding of the Democrats, while Fox News focuses on Joe Biden's cognitive skills and the legal woes of his son Hunter Biden.
Both cable news outlets have become players, foregoing their objectivity for the sake of their brand of politics.
Actually, these mutually hostile outlets are bringing us closer to the media farce existing in Russia, China and Iran.
In Australia the so-called Sky News After Dark, featuring right wing broadcasters, throws the kitchen sink at Anthony Albanese, while the ABC immerses itself in culture wars, while weaponising anything to do with the Liberal Party or Israel.
I dream of a unifier.
Surely someone in Australia might have a heart big enough to bridge the divide and focus on what unites us and what may facilitate a relationship between polarised views and war cries.
I admire independent Senator Lydia Thorpe for her passion but I recoil from her anger and hate.
I have a dream that she and Nationals indigenous affairs spokesperson, Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price could unite to agree on what may reconcile whites and blacks in Australia.
What a powerhouse they would be.
I applaud the speculation of an indigenous leader becoming our next Governor-General.
Historically it would be a bit weird, having an Aboriginal representing the Crown, but the healing connotations would be immense and quite profound.
Bigger than anything the Voice would have stood for.
I'm afraid Woollies has lost its way.
Two thirds of Australians support January 26 as Australia Day but Woollies scratched around like a barnyard chook in search of a cause.
Cricket unites nations, even hostile nations like India and Pakistan, but Cricket Australia snubbed the day on the January 26 Test match, for no other reason than some of its idle bureaucrats thought it might be trendy.
I am uncomfortable with January 26, when all it would take is for Anthony Albanese and Peter Dutton to agree on some alternative dates to spark a civil, friendly conversation.
For the majority the idea of changing the date would be like North America foregoing Independence Day, the 4th of July, for a more politically convenient date.
Heaven forbid, some bright spark is going to promote a referendum to solve the issue.
Thankfully the failed Voice vote has put a curse on any future referendum.
If we never had to have another referendum on any matter I wouldn't lose any sleep.
I know I'm sounding like a dreamer.
I recall a story told to me when state parliament held a regional sitting in Launceston, that angered some Aboriginals because their flag was not flown and they were not consulted.
So, at the next sitting in Parliament House, Hobart, the Aboriginal flag was flown, and the same people complained about not being consulted.
Hopefully it's a yarn, garnished with a pinch of embellishment.
I remember Michelle Obama responding to attacks on her from Republicans, saying "when they go low, we go high".
How refreshing, even revolutionary, it would be if our community and political leaders could treat public life as a contest of ideas, even a robust contest, rather than a bitter, hateful, personalised vendetta..
Paul Keating defended the hostility surrounding Question Time in Parliament as nothing more than a "clearing house of ideas".
Perhaps it was rather an understatement.
At Labor's Celebratory Ball at Parliament House after winning the unwinnable 1993 election, Keating feted his vanquished predecessor Bob Hawke for winning four consecutive elections.
A notorious hater, Keating still had his moments.
I fell off my chair after the Iowa GOP Primaries in the US when a triumphant Donald Trump uncharacteristically praised his opponents Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis.
Really?
Trump said that?
He was back to attacking Haley a day later.
But you see, even Trump could spread his appeal among Republicans and even some Democrats if he would just sheath his sword and govern.
In order to reach across the divide you would have to pick your issues, lest it made you appear weak.
But I reckon if a future leader made reconciliation a mantra he or she could bolt from the pack and take a commanding lead.
I don't believe division and war is inevitable.
Even terrorists at some stage might welcome some rest and respite.
Okay, I am a supreme optimist.
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