Indiana Bloggers Break Down Political Barriers
Maybe all of the partisan political differences people hold will one day end when people stop seeing each other as functions of their politics and start seeing each other as human beings.
Sounds like an ultra-idealistic thought, doesn't it?
But, that just might be happening if what is being observed in the Indiana blogosphere continues: Members of a right and left wing blog got together to learn more about the other side without fighting or calling each other names.
Here's what Bil Browning wrote about the meeting:
Writes Ryan McCann on his blog:
While no one is likely to be converted from his or her viewpoint, it is refreshing to see two side of a socio-political debate take time away from the slash-and-burn politics of demonization and domination that seems to get all of the attention from the media these days.
It's refreshing in these days when politics seems to require that the victor completely destroy his or her "enemies," instead of working out sensible compromises and agreeing on common points in an effort to settle differences.
When people start seeing each other as fellow human beings, we'll come up with solutions to the problems that face society, instead of playing the blame game and finding scape goats.
Sometimes all that is needed to find resolution is to turn down the political noise machine a notch or two so that people from opposing sides can take a minute or two to listen to what each side is saying.
Things might not be resolved perfectly in such a civil system, but it has to be better than the yelling and screaming that passes for political discourse these days.
Sounds like an ultra-idealistic thought, doesn't it?
But, that just might be happening if what is being observed in the Indiana blogosphere continues: Members of a right and left wing blog got together to learn more about the other side without fighting or calling each other names.
Here's what Bil Browning wrote about the meeting:
I recently attended a viewing of Inlaws & Outlaws with Ryan McCann, Public Policy Director for the Indiana Family Institute. Ryan challenged me to attend Love Won Out, the ex-gay conference, with him this weekend and I accepted as long as he went to the movie with me. We sat down the next day for lunch to chat. ...
(N)ow Ryan has a gay friend (although, of course, he claims others!).
Writes Ryan McCann on his blog:
The pleasant surprise was Bil Browning. We don’t agree on much of anything and he says and promotes some things on his blog www.bilerico.com that I find unconscionable, to put it mildly.
However, Bil was kind and treated me with respect. I was able to carry on a conversation with him without being shouted down or called names (which I have found unfortunately rare among gay activists).
We were able to talk as men and I respect him for that. I attempted to see things from his perspective and I believe he tried to see things from my perspective as well.
While no one is likely to be converted from his or her viewpoint, it is refreshing to see two side of a socio-political debate take time away from the slash-and-burn politics of demonization and domination that seems to get all of the attention from the media these days.
It's refreshing in these days when politics seems to require that the victor completely destroy his or her "enemies," instead of working out sensible compromises and agreeing on common points in an effort to settle differences.
When people start seeing each other as fellow human beings, we'll come up with solutions to the problems that face society, instead of playing the blame game and finding scape goats.
Sometimes all that is needed to find resolution is to turn down the political noise machine a notch or two so that people from opposing sides can take a minute or two to listen to what each side is saying.
Things might not be resolved perfectly in such a civil system, but it has to be better than the yelling and screaming that passes for political discourse these days.
Labels: Indiana blogosphere, politics
posted by Chris Hedges at
3:15 PM
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