The True Us Versus Them in the United States

The Truth and the Point Laid Out

By Hasnain

There is an uncomfortable truth in America that many have either forgotten or chosen to ignore. Politics has always been messy, but today it feels more toxic than ever. My Republican friends sometimes speak as though corruption is a disease that lives only within the Democratic Party. That is not true. While Democrats may currently show their corruption more openly, they are certainly not the only guilty players. Corruption knows no party—it seeps through every corner of government.

And to my Democratic friends, another reality must be faced. The party that once represented your ideals is not the same as it was decades ago. It has shifted, transformed, and embraced ideas that feel far more radical than what most Americans signed up for. Pretending this change has not occurred does not help anyone—it only blinds us to the truth.

Yet these party-specific observations are not the real point. The real conflict in this country has never been Republicans versus Democrats, whites versus blacks, or citizens versus immigrants. Those divisions, while loud and emotional, are surface-level distractions. The deeper divide is—and always has been—we the people versus the government.

The Real "Us Versus Them"

For generations, politicians have thrived by keeping us divided. They recycle the same narratives again and again: men versus women, rich versus poor, red states versus blue states. These divisions contain pieces of truth, but they are stretched, twisted, and weaponized to keep us fighting one another instead of questioning the people in power.

Why? Because a divided people are easier to control. An angry citizen spends less time watching the government and more time arguing with their neighbor. And so the cycle continues.

This is why it is essential to shift our focus. The real struggle is not citizen against citizen—it is citizen against unchecked government overreach. Politicians, media outlets, and so-called leaders are not neutral storytellers. They are part of the machine. Their words are carefully crafted to shape how you think, what you fear, and even whom you hate. If you accept those messages without question, you become a pawn in their game.

This reality extends beyond Washington, D.C. It exists in state legislatures, city governments, and even small-town boards. Many officials are appointed rather than elected, but all of them ultimately answer to someone chosen by the people. That means accountability always traces back to us, the voters. Politicians are not royalty. They are not untouchable. They work for us—and when they fail, we have the right to fire them.

A Reminder About Hate and Anger

But here’s where things often go wrong. People grow frustrated with the system, and that frustration turns into bitterness and hatred. Some direct it at politicians. Others direct it at opposing voters, or even the President. But stop and ask yourself: what good does that hatred do?

Does it improve your life? Does it make your family stronger, your relationships deeper, your community better? Almost always, the answer is no. Hatred is a heavy burden to carry, and it rarely leads to progress.

The same is true of hopelessness. The media often repeats the story that America is irredeemably racist, broken beyond repair, or doomed to collapse. But what good does believing that do for you—or for the country? Despair is another tool of control. It keeps you passive instead of active, hopeless instead of engaged.

Yes, corruption is real. Yes, injustice exists. But responding with rage, hate, or despair does nothing except damage your own heart. What we need more than anger is common sense. What we need more than rage is honest conversation. Instead of dismissing people because of their party, race, or beliefs, we should seek to understand them. Many people are not evil—they are simply misled. And lost people can be found with truth, patience, and compassion.

Final Thoughts

In the end, the lesson is simple: never forget who “us versus them” truly refers to. The “them” is not your neighbor, not your coworker, not the stranger who votes differently than you. The “them” is the government when it abuses power and betrays the people’s trust. And the “us” is not one political party—it is all of us, the citizens who actually hold authority in this nation.

So do your own research. Question everything. Refuse to swallow prepackaged narratives designed to pit you against your fellow Americans. Most of all, remember this: we the people are the foundation of this country, and no leader stands above us.