Day Two of the 31 day challenge brings me to: Something you love about yourself.
I try to be willing to have a rational, reasoned argument with people who disagree with me. One of our greatest faults, particularly in contemporary politics, is the unwillingness to accept the possibility that people can disagree with us without being stupid. The tendency to ascribe pristine motives to our allies and nefarious intent to those who oppose us, without acknowledging that their words and tactics are virtually identical, prevents us from finding common ground.
Take the recent NSA scandal, for instance. The same Democrats who would have (and some who did) burn George W. Bush in effigy for his Patriot Act measures vehemently defend President Obama for using the necessary tools to thwart terrorists, despite the fact that much of what has come to light originated under Bush and was merely continued under Obama. Likewise, Republicans who excoriate Obama as a Socialist Dictator peeking in our mail slots vigorously defended Bush for being tough on terrorists. The issue isn't as important as the attitude, and it's hindering our progress and fragmenting our unity.
1 comment:
Respecting others' views is a great personal attribute.
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