Dealing With Ethnic Tension

“Nationalism is a sense of shared destiny . . . a common history and civil culture. . . .” And “Democracy became possible when distinct peoples acquired national rather than religious or dynastic loyalties.” Wonderful words by a wise man (George Will, Column Right, Aug. 12).

That’s what made this nation possible, of course. Distinct peoples (Englishmen, Germans, Scandinavians, Frenchmen, etc.) who acquired American characteristics and a common language enabling them to “unite” as one people. Isn’t that what it says on our currency E pluribus unum --out of many, one?

Yet today, we reverse the scenario. Instead of unity, divisiveness. And so the Africans, Asians, Latinos and dozens of others, all with their own agenda, spread the gospel of diversity.

Didn’t I read somewhere about a house divided against itself? Ah, but that couldn’t happen in America. Could it?

AUDREY W. BERGNER

La Jolla