MY COLUMN IN TODAY’S AIKEN STANDARD
Dear Friends:
Let’s begin with a snippet of history.
Vice President Spiro Agnew, who served alongside President Richard Nixon, resigned in disgrace in 1973 after pleading nolo contendere to tax evasion. He had failed to report $29,500 in bribes he accepted while Governor of Maryland. For that, he is rightly infamous.
Yet a few years earlier, in 1970, Agnew delivered a line that became one of the most memorable political phrases of that era: “In the United States today, we have more than our share of the nattering nabobs of negativism.” It was aimed at the press and at critics of the Nixon administration.
Fifty-five years later, the line still rings true — except the problem is more pervasive, more polarized, and far more destructive.
The New Nabobs: Blue vs. Red
Today’s “nattering nabobs” don’t merely comment from the sidelines; they proudly wear team colors—the Blue Team’s echo chamber attacks on Orange Man Bad with near-religious fervor. The Red Team counters with its own curated narratives about how the current administration is successfully navigating the nation’s challenges.
Social Media: Fuel for the Fire
But the real accelerant is social media. Millions of Americans now join the chorus, often trading facts for fury.
Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt warns that social media has “amplified our primitive tribal tendencies, turning us into more spiteful, moralistic, and intolerant versions of ourselves.”
Pew Research finds most Americans believe political discourse is now less respectful, less fact-based, and more hateful because of social platforms. Nearly 70% describe today’s political debate as “negative, stressful, and frustrating.”
President Barack Obama observed that social media “creates a culture where everyone is just yelling at each other, and nobody is actually listening.” Former Governor Nikki Haley notes that “the loudest voices on social media are rarely the wisest.”
And, as Mark Twain warned long before the internet: “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.”
Are These Really the Worst of Times?
We think these are the worst of times because we’re living in them. But look back 250 years. At the dawn of the American Revolution, only about 40% of colonists supported independence, while around 20% remained loyal to the Crown. The rest preferred to avoid taking sides and mind their own business.
Now imagine those 2.5 million colonial Americans armed with smartphones and hashtags. Outrage might have drowned out reason. Tribalism might have suffocated compromise. And the great American experiment might never have been born.
From Contempt to Compromise
Contrary to myth, the Founding Fathers were not a band of harmonious brothers. They distrusted one another, represented competing state interests, and clashed fiercely. None walked away with everything they wanted. But they listened, debated, compromised, and forged a constitutional framework that has provided unmatched freedom and stability for nearly 250 years.
Today, America seems addicted not just to anger, but to contempt — the belief that those who disagree are not merely wrong, but unworthy.
It is time to listen and rediscover the art of compromise that built this nation.
The Roots of Our Republic
What allowed the Founders, with all their differences, to unite? Beyond intellect, they shared a common moral vocabulary grounded in biblical principles.
I was reminded of this recently at the WallBuilders Pro-Family Legislative Conference in Dallas, where I gathered with legislators from 33 states. In a time of political turbulence, it was uplifting and clarifying — a chance to recalibrate our moral compass and reaffirm that good legislation must rest on timeless truths.
Tim Barton, president of WallBuilders, emphasized that the Bible was the most-cited source among the
Founders. A team of scholars confirmed that, over a decade-long analysis of more than 3,000 quotes, 34% referenced Scripture directly, and indirect biblical influences raised that figure to above 60%.
John Adams stated plainly that the general principles underlying independence “were the general principles of Christianity.” A hundred years ago, historian Alice Baldwin documented that every central idea found in the Declaration of Independence had first been preached in colonial pulpits before 1763.
America was, quite literally, born in the pulpits.
A Turning Point
There are signs of hope today. After the assassination of Charlie Kirk, a new seriousness has emerged among young Americans. Turning Point USA has seen an explosion of interest, including 18,000 new requests for chapters. One campus minister called the renewed faith among students “wildly encouraging,” noting that thousands of young adult baptisms have been reported nationwide.
This revival didn’t begin recently — it has been building for years. Yet challenges remain. Polling shows that more than half of young likely voters favor the idea of a democratic socialist president, including 42% of younger conservatives. Some are drawn to what observers call “socialism with a smile.”
Where to from Here?
Are we witnessing the first sparks of a great American revival or awakening, or the road to decline that has ended every democracy in history? Time will tell.
But each of us can influence the direction.
Tomorrow’s family Thanksgiving dinner provides the perfect opportunity to pause and give thanks for the blessings and God-given rights we enjoy in the freest nation on earth.
If political tensions flare, turn conversations from ‘winning’ to ‘understanding’. Begin discussions with: “Help me understand why this issue matters to you.” Research shows this question reduces hostility and opens genuine dialogue. Discard outrage. Share personal stories instead of talking points. Lead with values, not policies. Most Americans still share the same fundamental hopes: safety, fairness, opportunity, and stability for our children and us. These techniques help rebuild the civic spirit that once defined America.
Our nation has weathered storms before — civil war, depressions, and political realignments. We survived not because we agreed on everything, but because we treated one another as fellow citizens rather than enemies.
Rebuilding civil dialogue is not impossible. It begins with the choices we make at our own dinner tables.
May you and your family have a blessed Thanksgiving.
This past Sunday evening, we welcomed the Christmas season at the South Carolina State House when Gov. Henry McMaster and First Lady Peggy McMaster threw the switch to light the Capitol Christmas tree to the delight of the large crowd. The ceremony was broadcast live on SCETV with much music celebrating the birth of Jesus.