As you may have noticed here, I generally try to be positive and avoid controversial topics, but I just want to address what has been bothering me lately.
There are a lot of very vocal (and physical) disagreements going on in this country right now on some very important issues. Understandably, many people are intensely passionate about them, but that means they are thinking emotionally instead of logically. And this kind of thinking is the nemesis of a productive discussion.
I understand that people feel strongly about some issues for good reasons and most people are not disagreeing to just disagree. However, I have what I think are valid questions that I would like to explore on some issues, but hesitate to bring them up for fear of being attacked. How am I supposed to understand things if I can't even ask the questions? How can I learn why someone is so passionate about an issue if they won't let me talk about it unless I am in total agreement? And how will anyone understand my point of view if my words cause them to react immediately in an emotional way so they don't really hear what I'm saying?
Passion is a way for a movement to get started. But working only with passion that is not followed up with some logical and rational thinking will not work. Too many people will be alienated on both sides to come to any understanding.
Hopefully, the pendulum will start swinging back to the middle soon and we can have real discussions on what really matters to people in a productive way. Until then, God help us.
