The greatest division in America today is not between the Democrats and Republicans, nor between people of different race, nor between those who are for or against health reform.
The great divide in the United States is between two groups of people; one group reveals an ability to respond to great provocation with grace and civility. The other group appears to have no ability to monitor their emotions, speech or actions and they display murderous rage towards anyone who slightly provokes them over any issue.
Both groups have within them the poor and the wealthy, the educated and the uneducated. The two groups will gravitate towards those who are similar to themselves because those who are civil and gracious will avoid screaming violence since they consider it ineffective.
Those who use verbal and potentially physical abuse will avoid the others because they think that such behavior reveals a weak and powerless personality. Abusive speech, unchecked emotions and violent actions do give a temporary sense of power and many think that is sufficient to accomplish their aims.
What to do? I don’t know. Perhaps it is enough to just be aware of the situation.