Politics and Religion

I think that it is interesting that so many people in our country are afraid to discuss politics or religion. I understand why, but it is curious nonetheless. Our society has devolved to the point that nobody respects anybody if they don't agree with them. People are unyielding in their points of view and cannot fathom the other side of a discussion.

I myself have no problems discussing anything, because I don't get emotionally attached to the subject. I try and discuss facts as much as possible, things that are historically accurate. I try not to blindly follow the party line on anything. I can respect someone else's point of view. The sad thing is we don't teach our children to be able to have discussions, debates. Once upon a time in America we taught debate in high school. People were taught how to take either side of an issue and make an argument in support of it, and against it. Nowadays people can't stand to hear the other side, let alone try and learn from it.

During the campaign I used to love asking Obama and Gregoire supporters why are they voting for their candidate, and it was very interesting to hear the responses. I would then ask them pointed questions on how their candidates were going to address very specific issues, and they would give me the party line, but when I asked very specific questions, they usually would not answer and instead move on to another party line. Most of the people I talked to couldn't, or didn't know how to defend their positions. They just blindly spouted the CNN, NBC, MSNBC lines they heard over and over and over.

If we are respectful, and stick to facts, not emotion, we can learn from the discussion and yes, we can change minds.

Unfortunately, our society only learns by trial and error, of which we are experiencing on a very grand scale right now. Everybody wants the country to succeed and have the economy take off upward, but dreaming and hoping just isn't going to get the job done. That is why I take a stand and voice my opinion in the hope that I could open just one pair of eyes to the reality of the situation.

So, please, feel free to express yourself. I will take no offense for the discussion is far too important to shy away from. We all need to be proactive. I say kick them all out and let's start over, term limits for all. New blood, new ideas.