It was a beautiful fall Sunday. My extended family was gathered for a nice dinner. The big news of the day was the upcoming election—and, of course, the recent debate.
She replied with a smile, “The Democrat.”
I was shocked. Appalled. Furious. Without thinking, I swung my fist at her as hard as I could. Bam! I punched her in her upper arm.
She was a traitor. I grew up Republican. It was part of my identity. They were the good guys. And she was voting for a Democrat!
It was betrayal to the family, her people, her tribe. I was indignant. How could she???
Clearly, I didn’t handle the situation well. But I was only nine years old when I did that. And my parents did give me a good lecture later that day.
Fast forward to today … a time when our country is more divided than ever. And lots of energy, rhetoric and money is focused on widening that gap.
When we look at the “others,” we see nuts, kooks or idiots. (They’re not!) We want to convert them … to help them see the light.
But when people feel they’re being “sold,” they resist. Their defenses go up, and their commitment to their position deepens.
Even worse, coming together to create new possibilities and a better future becomes even more difficult.
What’s the answer? Genuine conversations, discussions about values, looking at the world we want to live in. In short, the questions—not the preaching—are the answer. (more on this coming soon!)
Think about it! And don’t go slugging people if they disagree!
I love this song by Niko Moon. We are truly living in strange times … but this song is uplifting.
youtube.com
(Many thanks to Rene Zamora who shared it with me.)