From the Ithaca Journal, here is
an excellent op-ed on how we might benefit from overcoming our
political insularity. Janis Kelly writes that:
All around me in Ithaca I see fairly bright people talking and listening only to each other, confident of the superiority of their own ideas, openly contemptuous of those who might not agree.... This provincial, almost tribal, insularity deprives us of a certain social richness, as well as of opportunities to hone our political thinking....
Most of America is more sophisticated about political integration. There is a tradition of political generosity, of not shunning or demonizing your neighbors who hold different political views. And most people have lots of neighbors who hold different views. That basic decency has broken down in Washington and in segregationist enclaves like Ithaca.
To say the least!
For those who donated during our end-of-year drive (hint: there's still time), many, many thanks. Onward to 2006!
More: North Dallas Thirty (whose website is always
worth a visit) takes on some of this site's antagonists whose
consistently uncivil behavior even in response to an item about
promoting political civility is distressing if unsurprising. NDT
writes:
This whole article is about broadening one's experiences in the hopes of finding common understanding, because that is the basis of civility and good behavior. It is hard to hate someone with whom you share something in common.
This is why gay leftists, which seem to be the bulk of the commentors on this board, work so hard to demonize people and shunt people away from such experiences. For even daring to say one thing positive about [black conservative] LaShawn Barber, [a commenter] has been getting pounded and getting called every name in the book. Stephen is getting beaten up for even daring to link to [this article].
Both the knee-jerk gay left and the anti-gay right are victims
of a rigid ideology, and both become visibly upset whenever their
ideas are challanged. But the persistent comments attacking this
site-by some who post repeatedly during each and every day-is the
perfect testimony of why it is so important that we
exist.