I have been a resident of Carlisle for fifteen years. I have always taken passion in our diverse community. It’s a nice thing having a community so different and yet so familiar at the same time. I feel like I know everyone and feel like I share their strength and optimism for our community. It’s nice seeing so many driven students creating real change, and most of all, I feel proud that I can take part in it.

I love the intellectual diversity of our community. Because of the War College, we have community members who come from all places all over the world, helping to form a melting pot of diverse ideas that make the various types of community events that Carlisle hosts possible. Moreover, I think that what makes all of this possible is that everyone knows this and respects each other. I consider us largely immune to the alienation the political process has brought on a lot of communities in our country. By all of us knowing each other, we are able to respect and understand everyone’s diverse ideas, something I consider rare in today’s cultural climate.

Over the past year however, I have unfortunately seen a growing feeling of alienation manifest itself in our communities which is driving us apart from each other. The political process has allowed us to demonize our fellow American. Names, insults, and threats get thrown around by each side with both parties thinking they’re right and the other is wrong. Our community has in most cases overcome this widespread alienation by staying true to what it is – a community. By knowing each other and recognizing we all have different ideas, we are able to move past our political differences and find common ground. This common ground is important because in our country, echo chambers and radicalization have become the norm. Political groups separate themselves from the opposition as as a result, we move away from any attainable agreeing on both sides. Common ground is necessary for progress and through our community’s ability to respect each others’ different ideas, we are able achieve that. Respect is everything, and I feel like our community perfectly embodies that ideal.

As a country, I hope we are able to move past these issues to find mutual respect for each other. I believe that this is the only way we can break the cycle of problems we are having and bring real change. As a community, I hope we inspire others with our intellectual diversity and respect. Community events like the Unity Rally, the Cease Fire Rally, the Amani Festival, and others send a strong message about who we are, and I hope that these things inspire other communities around us. We need to learn from one another and respect our differences. This is the only way we can bridge the divide. – Cyrus Trial, Senior at Carlisle High School