Editor's Note: A Battle Hymn

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Those still on Bush's bandwagon often make similar presumptions, of course. Linda, a longtime activist who worked for Amnesty International and helped found Minnesota's internationally acclaimed Center for Victims of Torture, finds herself at a loss for words when conservative colleagues and neighbors, upon learning she has a son in uniform, assume she must be of a like mind.

What is it about the way this war is playing out that keeps us closed off from one another, unwilling to even imagine a compromise? Maybe it's that we all feel disempowered. Maybe it's that our political system seems broken, a breeding ground for cynicism. Or maybe it's simply because the entertainment industry, the powers that be, and corporate America have done such a good job of fulfilling our desire to go on living as if nothing were wrong that we've lost touch not only with our common sense, but also our commonality.

It's this national crisis of conscience that assistant editor Hannah Lobel examines in her hopeful cover essay, 'Redeeming America' (p. 36). In describing the downfall of America's international image and what can be done to repair it, Lobel's sources--who speak to both sides of our seemingly impenetrable political divide--conclude that to move forward we must first examine our national character, then embrace both our shared burdens and responsibilities.

Because of principled men and women like Linda and Dan, I believe it's still possible to heal this nation's wounds. But it requires that we stop demonizing people and putting them in easily labeled boxes. And that demands deep thought, sincere empathy, and, yes, sometimes even prayer.

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