I will admit openly to anyone that asks—and down here in the south that really says something—that, politically speaking, I lean to the left. Even though I do not follow the beliefs and convictions of the right, I genuinely and sincerely hope that I continue to be the kind of person that can listen to someone with different convictions than my own, even and especially those that are in direct conflict and with them.
The thing that bothers me so much about reading a post titled The Hypocrisy of the Left and other similar articles, is not so much that they are in such conflict with my own convictions. Rather it is that I know the author of said post would not be interested in hearing anyone’s explanation for why they disagree with him or her. Those who are inclined to the right are not the only ones guilty of this charge, hence the existence of equivalent articles titled The Hypocrisy of the Right, and more specifically the author of such an article, who would be unwilling to listen to anything in contradiction to his or her beliefs.
Am I the only one who feels like I could hold a political conversation with someone of an opposing view and not stoop to the level of purposefully insulting their convictions, and not only that—and stay with me here, I know this is unfathomable to some of you—but actually listen to what they have to say, with the intent of learning something new from them, that I may not have learned by listening those that are preaching what I want to hear?
I think part of the reason it is so difficult to keep from stooping to that level, and hence why so very many Americans do, is because it seems to be a rare occasion when I meet someone who is capable of it themselves. I think, however, it is even more important that I refuse to interrupt them when they say something that may be personally insulting, but continue to listen with the intent of understanding how it is that my fellow American, who, like myself, is interested in what is good for the country (hopefully, and less hopefully only in what is best for themselves), came to a different understanding of how things stand in our country, and how things ought to be done in our country. Maybe by remaining strong and insisting on having a productive, and potentially even pleasant, political conversation with someone holding conflicting views with my own. I believe this is the difficult but necessary path to further unification amongst Americans of different backgrounds, cultures, beliefs, ethnicities, orientations, and political convictions. I will continue in my audacity to hope that bridging the chasm-like divide between the right and the left is in fact possible, and I will the best I can to do my part.
A house divided against itself cannot stand.—Abraham Lincoln
