America is never wholly herself unless she is engaged in high moral principle. We as a people have such a purpose today. It is to make kinder the face of the nation and gentler the face of the world.” —George H. W. Bush in his inauguration speech, Jan. 20, 1989.

That was 35 years ago, and neither this world nor this nation has become kinder and gentler in the meantime.

The politics of division, of sowing fear and hatred in order to win votes, has become an art form exercised destructively by some of the bitter partisans in our country. We see it on both ends of the political spectrum.

By nature, we are not an angry people. The vast majority of us, in our daily lives, do not strive to divide and conquer. That same majority attempts to get along, to help our families and communities, and in general to make this a better place, or at least no worse, than the one we inherited.

It’s time to call out the practitioners of the politics of division. You know who you are. You are ev...