The road called "Together" is the only way to get there.

As we continue to watch the gridlock in Washington and observe the recalcitrance of our elected official, I am rapidly reaching the conclusion that working together to achieve a common goal or purpose is a relic of the past. It is now so more important to get your own way than to arrive at an agreement.

We would prefer that the institution be burnt to the ground or destroyed rather than concede the upper hand to the other guy.

Being a second banana is anathema to them and cooperation is a dirty word.

It does not matter that the ages have taught us that is the only way to our salvation.

I hasten to remind all of us that the only way to heaven is to humble ourselves and cooperate with the wishes of the Son.

However, pride goeth before a fall.

Surviving to fight another day is no longer a high priority.

Nevertheless, history has taught us that people from vastly different backgrounds laboring together can produce wonderful, magical results.

Comedian WC Fields considered Bert Williams, a Negro emigre from the Bahamas with whom he worked, the funniest man he ever met.

We were amused and delighted for years by subdued Englishman Stan Laurel and loquacious, portly American Oliver Hardy.

What about Jewish Bud Abbot and rotund Italian American Lou Costello or the male and female act of George Burns and Gracie Allen?

Bill Cosby has admitted that a major influence on his career and inspiration for his routines was Jonathan Winters.

Who can forget the memorable scene in the movies of Bill "Bojangles" Robinson and Shirley Temple holding hands and tap dancing up and down those stairs?

How about Chinese acrobat Jackie Chan and talkative funny man Chris Tucker in the Rush Hour movies or lanky reticent Danny Glover and wisecracking Mel Gibson in the Lethal Weapon films?

Not many people know that the distinctive bass sounds you hear on the Temptations song, "Papa was a rolling stone, “ et al were performed by white bass player Bob Babbitt.

The musician who defined the R&B guitar style and the lead guitarist on the hit "Soul Man" was Caucasian Steve Cropper.

Ray Charles' No.1 hit,"I can't stop loving you," was written and performed first in 1957 by Country and Western artist Don Gibson.

The smash R&B hit, "For the good times," by Al Green was penned by Country performer Kris Kristofferson.

The signature song of Whitney Houston, "I will always love you," was a tune written and recorded by Dolly Parton in 1974.

Here also are some surprising facts, some of the most successful artists in country music are Australian Keith Urban, Canadian Shania Twain, Chicano Freddy Fender, African American Charlie Pride, a country music entertainer of the year award recipient. Furthermore, Pride has sold more records than Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard or Waylon Jennings and is a member of the Grand Ole Opry in Nasville,Tenn.

You may be shocked to learn that the seminal quintessential African American literary hero, "Shaft" was the creation of White American author Ernest Tidyman of Detroit, Mi.

Are you aware that the quintessential American southern belle Scarlett O'Hara nuances, accent and all  wereportrayed by Vivian Leigh a British actress?

Probably the highest grossing performer in the hip hop musical genre is Eminem.

The premier Black institution of higher learning is named after its founder, White civil war general Oliver Otis Howard.

What is the point?

First of all, human beings refuse to be pigeonholed, limited or remain in a particular corner because of appearance or background or in accordance with your bigoted perception.

There are conservative Democrats and liberal Republicans.

There is no act or cultural expression that is the exclusive domain of a particular group.

As human beings, we are more alike than different.

We are driven by the same passions, fears, hopes, dreams and desires.

We should strive to cultivate and celebrate our similarities instead of our disparities and allow collaboration to be the watchword during our interactions.

Each generation stands on the shoulders of the generation before and we all learn and benefit from each other.

Nobody can scale Mt. Everest or defeat Goliath all by himself.

No one is all right or all wrong.

Perfection belongs only to God.

Even a broken clock is right two times a day.

Nevertheless, what frustates, befuddles and so easily besets us is found in the answer offered by Leonard Bernstein about organizing an orchestra.

He stated the most difficult position to fill was second fiddle.

Everybody wants to be first and foremost but without a second fiddle there is no harmony.

In the final analysis, tall or short, fat or skinny, black or white, male or female, the only thing that matters is what do you bring to the table, what talent do you offer to make us better together than alone.

God warns us it is not good for man to be alone.

Consider this fact, the main sticking point and the stumbling block to a consensus is "Obama care."

Never mind that this was an idea initially proposed by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank.

It was then implemented by Republican Mitt Romney in Massachusetts.

It became a national model and policy by a guy on the other side of the aisle.

So the prevailing attitude in the halls of Congress seems to have morphed into "I'll be damned and hell will freeze over before I allow him to get all the credit and glory."

The lesson to be learned in all of this is if we stand shoulder to shoulder, complement each other, blend our talents and gifts, the end result will be progress, success, joy, laughter and beautiful music.

It is my hope in our lifetime for all our sakes that those childish idiots in the nation's capital will discover that sooner rather than later.

V. Knowles is a husband and father with an interest in penning issues that serve to uplift mankind. He melds his love for Classic literature, The Bible and pop culture - as sordid as it may be - into highly relatable columns of truth, faith and justice. Hence the name: Just Thinking. If he's not buried in a book or penning his next column, you may find him pinned to his sectional watching a good old Country and Western flick.