theturtle06
Sharpshooter
To All,
I agree with the overall trend of ideas here. I think it comes to a lack of respect for another person with whom you may totally disagree but still like as a person.
I LIKE President Obama. I really do. I think he means well and wants to do the best for the United States. I LIKE President Bush. I did. I think that he meant to do the best he could for America while in office. I could sit down with either one of these fine gentlemen and have a beer (or two) and talk all about life and politics. I also disagree with both of them on many fiscal and social agendas. I would let each one of them know I believe they are leading us down a path that is going to cripple these United States in the long run.
I wish that more of us could learn to disagree and still like a person for who they are.
Many folks I know would be classified as very "conservative republicans." This would include most of my family and old friends. I have many friends who would be generally classified as "liberal democrats." I have a lot of fun with each. There is no person or group with which I will agree with 100% OR disagree with 100%. Not happening. To use an olde quote: "a broke clock is right twice a day."
I think that part of the problem is that we isolate ourselves amongst people that almost always agree with us. That goes for both liberals and conservatives. Interacting respectfully with a group or person that is opposite of us in thinking can cause us to question our own beliefs and ideas. This is, for most people, very uncomfortable. I think because we don't like to "loose." What we fail to realize is that sometimes the person we are disagreeing with is "correct" and we miss a learning opportunity. Maybe it is our ego. Maybe we get so wrapped up in being right we cannot question why we might be wrong, because that would mean mommy and daddy and aunt Susan and uncle Al are all wrong too. Heaven forbid!
Sometimes I like loosing an argument. It causes me to rethink my position and either a) change my position, or b) rethink my position and articulate it better the next time I cover the same issue.
I do think the internet has contributed to the decline of civility. It allows us each one to hide behind a screen safe in our own homes and really say things that are cruel and hurtful without having to witness the repercussions of our own words. What percentage the internet is at fault? Well, we can all argue about that...
Regards,
Doug
You said this better than I ever could have wished to. You and I are in essentially the same boat and what you said here is good stuff for everyone.