I recently watched Ken Burns' excellent documentary about The Vietnam War. One episode dealt with the civil unrest in the United States in 1968. Two major figures were assassinated within two months of each other, Martin Luther King in April and Robert Kennedy in June.

I went on Youtube and watched the videos of Kennedy's body being carried across America by train. What struck me is the diversity of the people watching. People from all ages, races and ethincity. A white politician who appealed to the poor, white,black and brown. Kennedy went into poor areas in Los Angeles and in Mississippi and spoke to the disadvantaged.

How many of today's current politicians can do that?

Next year will mark the 50th anniversary of King and Kennedy's death. No politician has been able to step into those shoes ever since. No one has been able to heal the racial wounds that still divide America. Politicians now openly appeal to the white supremacist vote in order to gain advantange or they drop hints that taps into people's fears. George Bush Snr did that in 1988 when he used the Willie Horton ads against his Democrat opponent. Donald Trump in 2016 conjured up the worst instincts of his supporters when he described Mexicans. Trump said that he wanted to bulid a wall to keep them out. How is this staying true to Dr King's dream?

No political leader has outlined a vision of what a better America could look like. Barack Obama may have been elected President twice, but he was never really a radical or a progressive. He was more a manager of the status quo with the odd tweak here and there. A visionary has yet to emerge. Now more than ever, a leader is needed as America has become a nation where abuse and name calling is current vogue. One side refuses to listen the other . It's all about anger and noise. Polite discourse is no longer the fashion. A house divided against itself cannot stand. Who said those words?