“Hold on my heart

throw me a lifeline.

I’ll keep a place for you

somewhere deep inside

So hold on my heart

please tell her to be patient

’cause there has never been a time

that I wanted something more.”

Have you ever heard “Hold on My Heart” by Genesis? It’s such a beautiful song. It’s quite haunting. Written by the great Phil Collins in 1991, it’s an aural journey into the emotional peaks and valleys of a man so deeply in love, he feels compelled to ask his own heart to hold on. Not to give up, not to give in to despair. And although it’s clear that the pronoun “her” in those lyrics refers to a woman, could it not also be applied to America? I think so. My country ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, to thee I sing. Hold on my heart.

With all due respect, Emma Lazarus’ iconic words of truth have been rendered hollow over time. This great nation is filled with those who are tired – mentally, physically, emotionally, spiritually, professionally and relationally. The vast majority of Americans work so hard to make ends meet, obey our laws, pay their taxes and stay out of legal trouble – only to be constantly mocked for displaying those very same noble attributes. In 2015, poverty in the United States of America is simultaneously treated as both a hoax and a criminal act – to be endlessly debated and denied even as our own citizens starve. Our huddled masses may yearn to breathe free, but it’s incredibly difficult to do so while being choked to death from institutionalized racism or overzealous police officers or obsolete societal norms which decree that women were not, are not, and will never be equal to men.

In 2015, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives went out of his way to invite the leader of a foreign nation with his own laser-focused agenda to come to Washington, D.C,. on Tuesday for the sole purpose of driving a Texas-sized wedge between the American president and Congress. That any American political party would stoop so low to frustrate and humiliate our leader – for any reason – is an affront of Shakespearean proportions. Hold on my heart.

Right now, the “party of no” is flirting relentlessly with the draconian prospect of not funding the Department of Homeland Security. The Grand Old Party – which screams from sea to shining sea the dire importance of securing our borders on a daily basis – actually seeks to bench 230,000 government employees from their solemn duties. These obstructionists don’t care that without an appropriations bill, DNS cannot carry out its mission of protecting the United States’ territory, sovereignty, domestic population or critical infrastructure against external threats and aggression. They just want to stop Obama’s executive actions by any means necessary. As you’re reading this, DHS may already have been shut down. The world is aware of the political malpractice currently taking place in Washington. Bad news spreads rather quickly. Where I’m from, any congressman or senator exposing this country to attacks from extreme terrorists to score political points is committing high crimes/misdemeanors. Such behavior is treasonous. Hold on my heart.

When they achieved resounding victory last November, the Republicans promised America they would govern boldly. They vowed they would make us proud. Well, they’ve failed on both accounts. It’s worse than before, perhaps worse than ever. Up is down. A smile is a frown. No debate, no consensus and no compromise. Democracy is being hijacked by demonization. Our system of governance is now apparently based on revenge. Hold on my heart.

“If I can recall this feeling

and I know there’s a chance

oh, I will be there.

Yes I will be there…

be there for you.

Whenever you want me to,

whenever you call oh I will be there

Yes, I will be there.”

This is America. This is the place where you can make it if you try. The land of Mom, baseball, apple pie and Chevrolet. Whether you like it not, whether you acknowledge it or not, this remains a nation of immigrants. Unless you’re of Native American heritage, you’re not from here. Neither am I.

There’s nothing we cannot achieve as Americans. We can rebuild our infrastructure, pay down our national deficit, create jobs, and continue being a beacon of light in a dimly-lit world. But only if we believe.

“Hold on my heart

don’t let her see you crying

no matter where I go

she’ll always be with me.”

The only thing actually stopping us… is us.

Sing to America, my friends. Pray for her. She’s so fragile, yet so filled with promise. She’s so strong a uniting force, yet so singular. Hold her close to your heart. I do. Do you? If so, just hold on.