We should heed end of State of the Union speech

It doesn’t matter if you’re Democrat or Republican, white, black or green, conservative or liberal, religious or atheist or have any political interest in all. What President Barack Obama said towards the end of the State of the Union speech he gave Jan. 25 is something we should all take to heart.

At the end of his speech, Obama told about the Navy SEALs who risked their lives for their country in Pakistan, the SEALs who carried out the mission that ended the life of Osama bin Laden. He told of their cooperation, and their trust in each other. He said that on that night, on that mission, it didn’t matter what political party the SEALs were from. They were all working together towards a common goal for the good of their country. It’s a lesson we could all learn.

In his speech, Obama said his proudest possession is the flag that the SEAL Team took with them on the mission to get bin Laden.

“On it are each of their names. Some may be Democrats. Some may be Republicans. But that doesn't matter. Just like it didn't matter that day in the Situation Room, when I sat next to Bob Gates—a man who was George Bush's defense secretary; and Hillary Clinton, a woman who ran against me for president,” he said. “All that mattered that day was the mission. No one thought about politics. No one thought about themselves. One of the young men involved in the raid later told me that he didn't deserve credit for the mission. It only succeeded, he said, because every single member of that unit did their job—the pilot who landed the helicopter that spun out of control; the translator who kept others from entering the compound; the troops who separated the women and children from the fight; the SEALs who charged up the stairs. More than that, the mission only succeeded because every member of that unit trusted each other —because you can't charge up those stairs, into darkness and danger, unless you know that there's someone behind you, watching your back....No one built this country on their own. This nation is great because we built it together. This nation is great because we worked as a team. This nation is great because we get each other's backs. And if we hold fast to that truth, in this moment of trial, there is no challenge too great; no mission too hard. As long as we're joined in common purpose, as long as we maintain our common resolve, our journey moves forward, our future is hopeful, and the state of our union will always be strong.”

In this day and age when it seems the only goal of our Congress is to vehemently oppose any idea the other party comes up with, we feel it’s time Congress follow the lead of our brave military, and work together for the good of the cause. Let’s tone down all the fiery rhetoric and strike a more agreeable tone. Obama was right—there is a disconnect between Washington, D.C., and the rest of the country, and there is certainly cynicism that Congress can get anything achieved other than partisan bickering. For the good of the country, our elected politicians need to attempt to work together as best they can, instead of adopting a “my way or the highway” stance. Neither party is absolutely right in its ideals, and neither party is absolutely wrong. It’s time for our elected officials to care less about “winning” and making the other party look bad and more about doing what is right for our country. If they can’t do it, maybe we will have elect new people who can. Approval ratings of Congress continue to come out at record lows. Is it really that hard to understand why?

Regardless of your party affiliation, nobody wins when our Congress does nothing but fight. Our government can’t move ahead if it’s constantly at a standstill. It’s time our leaders act more like the Navy SEALs, taking on the tough task, charging up the figurative stairs to confront the challenges that are in front of our country. Less talk and more action. It’s the right thing to do.