“You will be hearing of wars and rumors of wars; see that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs….” Jesus, Matthew 24:6-8.

Americans are living a tale of two nations. Many in the media and political left have been dividing us for decades, creating and pitting identity groups against each other, and pondering how polarized we’ve become as a nation. Then, there are the common deplorables who left their jobs and families to render aid to those affected by Hurricane Harvey. We’ve heard, read and seen hundreds of stories about common people performing lifesaving services regardless of gender, race, religion or political persuasion.

Sunday morning, as President Trump was leaving church, a reporter shouted, “Are you going to attack North Korea?” The setting and the question speak volumes about a divided America. Trump’s declaring this past Sunday a Day of Prayer for those affected by Hurricane Harvey honors united America in which deplorables help anyone in need, including animals and pets.

Which America are we more like: united or divided? Haters like the Southern Poverty Law Center are continually trying to divide us. At a meeting in Michigan in 2007, SPLC spokesman and senior fellow Mark Potok said, “Sometimes the press will describe us as monitoring hate groups. I want to say plainly that our aim in life is to destroy these groups, completely destroy them.” Potok has said this many times in many venues.

Who are the “hate groups” SPLC literally targets? A small sampling includes traditional Christian organizations and ministries like Dr. James Kennedy Ministries, Family Research Council and American Family Association. SPLC has also targeted businesses like Hobby Lobby and Chik-fil-A because their founders’ operations are based on traditional Christian values.

One of SPLC’s most recent “hate” maps located every Confederate monument in America and warned of coming “turmoil and bloodshed” if authorities did not remove these monuments. Oxymoronically, SPLC is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt charitable organization. SPLC is neither charitable with its rhetoric nor its money, having reportedly transferred millions of dollars to foreign accounts in the Cayman Islands and other off-shore havens.

SPLC’s “hate” map of locations of Confederate monuments was featured in CNN’s programming and social media. CNN host W. Kamau Bell spoke at an Antifa rally in Berkeley where Antifa members viciously assaulted those they assumed “might have voted for Donald Trump,” according to one of the group’s spokespersons.

According to the Washington Examiner, “the SPLC won’t label Antifa a hate group because adherents do not discriminate against people on the basis of race, sexual orientation or other classes protected by antidiscrimination laws, such as religion.” President of SPLC Richard Cohen said, “There might be forms of hate out there that you may consider hateful, but it’s not the type of hate we follow.” Wow!

Jesus said, “Because lawlessness is increased, most people’s love will grow cold.” — Matthew 24:12.

Hate groups are spreading lawlessness and divisions among Americans on purpose. They spin stories about stiletto heels, and ponder whether certain people have any empathy. When times are bad, deplorables who likely voted for Trump reach out and unite with anyone in any category who needs help. 

Contact Daniel L. Gardner at PJandMe2@gmail.com.