Cut through the bitter political debates and find common ground | Opinion
Lately I’m sad to hear some Americans pointing out qualities they hate about others, name calling, and shutting out any opinion that doesn’t align with their own or their political party. Every topic is so divided and there is no question that being just weeks from the presidential election is fueling these fires with gas. It feels like the constant bickering is weakening our community, and our national democracy is facing challenges not seen in decades. But it is my hope that we can get back to intellectual debate, learning from each other, and knowing that disagreements are healthy and almost always result in better decisions.
Why does this seem so difficult in 2020? It’s true that people with different opinions create conflict, and that can be uncomfortable, but the creative friction that results is how we innovate and grow. This growth is accomplished by listening and building on each other’s ideas and even changing our minds when we learn more. Leaders aren’t good because they are always right. They are good because they are always listening, learning, and shifting. And we all know there is a distinction between hearing and listening, and there is no question that listening takes a deliberate effort. It is hard.
I always enjoyed debating, much to the chagrin of my parents, old boyfriends, my husband, and even my children. Through that experience I’ve learned that productive disagreements begin by finding common ground, even if it’s as thin as a whisper. Look for it! And as Americans, we actually have a lot in common.Think about it! We believe we should be free to make our own decisions, as long as we don’t hurt others. We believe in an equal opportunity for all to achieve great things through hard work, and that all children are entitled to an education. We are patriotic and hold our freedom in the highest regard. We believe in the constitutional framework of checks and balances, and can all agree that cheating to get ahead is never okay.
In Manatee County, we can all agree that traffic is often frustrating, keeping crime low is important, water is our greatest resource, and growth and development pressures are hard to deal with. And I’m pretty sure we can all agree that we are ready for Coronavirus to be a crisis of the past.
So with all that we have in common, why is it increasingly difficult to have a mature conversation about our differences? Emotions are running in high gear, and name-calling and anger is the norm by a few regulars on Facebook. I hear the same tone on just about every talk radio and news program too. The anger sometimes reminds me of an overstimulated child that melts-down after a trip to Disney. When did we lose our listening skills and the intellectual humility to admit we may have been off on a few things? Technology and social media have reshaped our communication and are not helping in this regard either. If you haven’t seen the documentary, “Social Dilemma”, you need to check it out and understand the powerful manipulation of public opinion that is taking place on social networks. Now that I think about it, the way that we are interacting with each other is probably the main answer to my questions.
I believe we are long past due for standing up for shared humanity and I encourage you to talk with someone that you disagree with or never really liked, and look for the things you have in common. Let’s seek to approach our differences with an open mind and research our opinions to ensure they are grounded in sound principles. And when we bring diverse people and opinions together we just may see another side that we never considered. Isn’t this what we want to teach Gen Z and the younger kids behind them? And when we’re done talking, we can call it a day and head out together for a latte.
Misty Servia represents District 4 (south Manatee) on the Manatee County Board of County Commissioners.
This story was originally published September 21, 2020 at 11:45 AM.