Dart to the idea that last week’s impeachment vote was somehow a departure from the norm.

In his column published Sunday, Rep. Richard Hudson accurately described impeachment as a “dark day for our republic.”

For a Congress to take a vote to impeach a president is indeed a discouraging and sad one for our country. But it’s not a dark day solely because of the evidence or lack thereof that President Donald Trump withheld aid to a foreign country — Ukraine — to dig up dirt on a political rival. Wednesday was dark because it’s the latest, recent sign of the fact that our country has become irreparably divided.

We’re divided — nationally and locally — because facts only matter if they are favorable to one’s political views; institutions in our country, state and community are under assault like never before; and social media and the internet allow people to create echo chambers that block out views different from their own. The political beliefs of an average Salisbury voter are vastly different than the average Rowan County voter, and it’s likely that neither of the two are particularly interested in hearing what the other has to say.

We’ve got to change that. A united nation cannot experience the same events differently solely because of their political views.

Hudson wrote that he “refuse(s) to believe that partisanship has gotten so out of control that we cannot accomplish great things together.”

Believe it congressman.

Laurel to the work of the Rowan County Literacy Council, which has a mission of improving the lives of local children and adults by enhancing their literacy in life skills.

This year, the agency has shared in the journey of many local residents as they’ve become U.S. citizens. We’ve published many of their stories in the Salisbury Post.

Thanksgiving this year had new meaning for Luz “Paty” Bodine, as her swearing-in ceremony as a U.S. citizens was just a week before the holiday. Mei Xue “Macy” Dong had been in the U.S. for 23 years, many of which were spent operating the Top China Restaurant with her husband in Salisbury, and became a citizen in late 2018. Juana Fabiola “Faby” Amezquita came to America from Mexico when she was just 17 years old and became a citizen in February, one decade later.

To the Rowan Literacy Council, we say, “Keep up the good work.”

Laurel to the news that Rowan-Salisbury Schools will enter 2020 with none of its students owing lunch debt.

A number of donors in recent weeks have paid off thousands in lunch debt, with the latest payment being $9,500.

We hope other businesses or individuals looking for a way to help folks in their community will consider making a small donation next year to a nearby school in need.