errorlevel.org

It really saddens me that the only cognitive dissonance I can find through conversation is people that agree with my political beliefs. Of course, even people on the same side never agree completely and that is where my little dissonance is found. However, I want to be able to talk to people that are on the Right without being called un-American. I want to be able to talk to people on the Left without being accused of being fascist. I want to be able to talk to people who vote for politicians that I find to be completely abhorrent without them getting angry that I dare question their choice. It is painful to see the media failing at its task of creating an informed electorate, but it is downright excruciating that people are not stepping up to the plate to discuss things on their own.

What I try to do through my postings on this site is to discuss what I believe, let people understand my views, and hopefully eventually evoke responses that will let me know how others view my beliefs so I have a better means of evaluating them.

Within my circle of friends, I get into a lot of heated discussions. Our voices get strained and we have a hard time making sure everyone gets heard because everyone wants to get their word in. However, we always try to listen and understand. And, we never insult each other. Such is the benefit of being friends, I suppose. I just wish I could have such discussions, perhaps not as heated, with others outside of that circle of friends.

It seems to be the norm, these days, to take offense to any questions lodged at your viewpoint. Perhaps I am just being a revisionist when I say that. However, even if I am, the lack of ability to discuss important topics in the open is something that society as a whole must work on.

E Pluribus Unum.

Out of many, one.

How can we expect to heal the wounds of years of divisive, partisan politics if we are not speaking to the other side? In order to make These United States, The United States, we must be able to reach out to others, we must be able to unite and join arms to create coalitions to achieve common goals.

What currently passes for debate in America is the tripe flowing over the airwaves in the form of The O'Reilly Factor, the Randy Rhodes Show are not civil discourse. These programs serve no purpose but to lambast the other side. We are not healing our national wounds.

Unfortunately, it seems we cannot begin to have the discussion of how to fix civil discourse without the current political moods changing. How can we have a civil discourse on how to have civil discourse? Something has to give.

Maybe one day we will be able to talk to each other and listen, and understand. That is all. I just want to understand.