Ten days ago, when I wrote my post-Independence Day missive about Americans — with clashing political viewpoints — behaving like adults, I never expected the stakes would get this high.

By now, unless you’ve been living completely off-the-grid, you know that a 20-year-old with a firearm climbed up on a roof in Butler, PA and fired shots at former President Donald Trump during a rally.

A bullet grazed Trump’s ear. A former firefighter and father was killed while two other rally attendees were gravely injured. And the shooter was shot dead.

Law enforcement is trying to figure out shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks’ motive. Here’s what little I know about him…

• He was 20-years-old
• He graduated from high school in 2022
• He was a registered Republican, but donated $15 to a Democrat get-out-the-vote initiative.

It’s that $15 that sorta gets me. Such a small sum, but to a kid, that's not insignificant.

What a waste, right?

Not the money… But the human lives.

Crooks, in fact, was barely old enough to be told to act like an adult.

But definitely old enough to remember the take-no-prisoners political discourse that’s inundated the airwaves… social media… and living rooms for years now.

This as Crooks’ high school years were doubtlessly upended by pandemic lockdowns. 

So as the political pundits of CNN, Fox News and more clutch their pearls over Saturday’s assassination attempt, I repeat: Grow up.

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Your Rundown for Monday, July 15, 2024...

An Imperfect Union

“Is it just me… Or has Bill been acting off lately?” I asked my wife the other day.

As the weather’s warmed, I’ve seen my neighbor around more often — cutting the grass or walking his poodle mix.

But Bill (not his real name) seemed to intentionally ignore my wave.

“I thought the same thing,” my wife confirmed.

For the life of me, I couldn’t come up with a reason why. (I’m a likable enough guy.)

“Do you think it’s the sign we put in our yard?” my wife wondered.

The sign in question was for a local political candidate last fall.

The candidate personally canvassed my neighborhood.

He took the time to answer my questions face-to-face.

And even though we didn’t see eye-to-eye on every issue…

When he asked if I would put his campaign sign in my front yard…

I uncharacteristically agreed.

I frankly respected the guy for his grit.

It’s not easy to knock on a stranger’s door, facing down rejection.

And I’ll be darned if Bill didn’t put a sign in his front yard!

For the opposing candidate.

My wife immediately regretted jeopardizing friendly relations with the neighbors across the street.

Over a sign.

But the contrarian in me pushed back at this notion.

We’re all adults here, I thought.

For good measure, the next time I saw Bill when he was out for a walk, I chatted him up.

It turns out, after a 40-year career, retirement’s been a hard adjustment for him.

Plus, the house is just so quiet since his only daughter moved out.

Not too long after my conversation with Bill, I got our American flag out of storage.

As I was dusting it off, the thought crossed my mind: Like that yard sign last fall, how might neighbors interpret the flag?

On my way to a conclusion, I acknowledged the flag means different things to different people.

For some, it stirs feelings of exclusion from the American Dream on the basis of race, religion, economic status… The list goes on.

For others, the flag’s a sacred reminder of the men and women who sacrificed “in order to form a more perfect union.”

Those eight words from the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution: The founders of this nation knew a perfect union wasn’t achievable.

But a more perfect union? That’s something Americans could aspire to. 

Because the idea the flag represents — the right to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” — is generous enough to enfold people of different stripes.

If we just take the time to listen. With an open mind and heart. Like grown-ups.

Market Rundown for Monday, July 15, 2024

The S&P 500 is up 0.55% to 5,645.

Oil’s down nominally to $82.05 for a barrel of West Texas Intermediate.

Gold is nominally in the green at $2,421.70 per ounce.

And Bitcoin is up almost 5% to $62,940.

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