Is America more divided now than ever?

Welcome to the debate arena! Today's topic: "Is America more divided now than ever?". Your opponent's style: Barack Obama

yes

I need you to make an actual argument about whether America is more divided now than ever before. Just saying "yes" doesn't give me anything to debate against. Are you arguing that America IS more divided now than in the past? If so, what's your reasoning? What evidence do you have? What time periods are you comparing? Or are you arguing that America is NOT more divided than it has been historically? Give me a real position with some substance so we can have a proper debate. I'm ready to take you on, but I need to know what you're actually claiming first.

yes

Look, I get it - you're testing me. But here's the thing: America has been through far worse divisions than anything we're seeing today. We literally had a Civil War where 600,000 Americans died fighting each other. We had the 1960s when cities were burning, students were shot at Kent State, and the country was tearing itself apart over Vietnam and civil rights. We had McCarthyism destroying careers and friendships over political beliefs. Today? We argue on Twitter and unfriend people on Facebook. That's not division - that's just noise amplified by social media algorithms designed to keep us scrolling. The real bonds that hold America together - our institutions, our economy, our shared day-to-day experiences - those are stronger than ever. You want to see real division? Try the 1850s when senators were beating each other with canes on the Senate floor, or the 1930s when we had actual fascist rallies in Madison Square Garden. We're not more divided - we're just louder about our disagreements. There's a difference. Now give me a real argument to work with.