How can we fix things? This trans activist showed us.

[Grim17]

When the question of why America has become so politically polarized comes up in conversation, what you most often hear is people from one side of the political spectrum saying that the other side has gotten too radical and extreme. The truth is, it's much simpler than that. The reason things have become so contentious is because one side of the isle has for the most part, refused to sit down and have a discussion with those they disagree with, and instead have chosen to label them "evil" and "dangerous" people that aren't worth talking to. They've made it a taboo for anyone on their side to engage in a discussion with their adversaries, and will quite often attack, and even ostracize anyone on their side who has a discussion with them, or gives them a platform to speak,

Recently, Michael Knowles from the Daily Wire gave a speech at Washburn University. Prior to his speaking engagement the students on the far left protested and voiced the usual type of opposition and rhetoric that's become all too common place the last decade or so on college campuses where a conservative is scheduled to speak. The large protest that took place the day of his speaking engagement was organized by a student and pro-trans activist named Sierra Jeter. After the speech, Jeter did something that you almost never see anymore... She agreed to come back stage and have a one on one discussion with Knowles and here's how it went:



In spite of what most of you all expected, this was neither a tit-for-tat pissing contest, a one side dominates the other scenario, nor was it a case where one side "saw the light" and agreed with the other. This was 2 people with opposing views sitting down and having a civil conversation to better understand where the other was coming from.

What the both of them came away with after their discussion, was precisely the thing that in previous years kept political discourse civil and prevented the political divide from reaching a point of no return... They both came away with a better understanding of the other side and a level of mutual respect that can only be obtained by having a civil discussion... Something that those on the far left almost never agree to anymore, but as this conversation demonstrated, needs to take place more often if we expect to keep this country together in the future.

.

 

[Emily L]

Grim, that reminds me of what happened between Mike Huckabee and Rachel Maddow.

After Huckabee criticized her publicly for one of her positions, Maddow invited him to lunch. Much to everyone's surprise, he accepted the invitation.

For several days afterward, everywhere he went, Huckabee talked about what a really nice person Maddow is.

I love that kind of thing.

 

[yankintx]

Why are straight folks obsessed with this subject🙄


Pffft... Its not contagious, and your children wil not be recruited.

 

[Grim17]

Grim, that reminds me of what happened between Mike Huckabee and Rachel Maddow.

After Huckabee criticized her publicly for one of her positions, Maddow invited him to lunch. Much to everyone's surprise, he accepted the invitation.

For several days afterward, everywhere he went, Huckabee talked about what a really nice person Maddow is.

I love that kind of thing.

Sitting down and having a civil conversation won't iron out political differences in most cases, but it will reduce the level of vitriol between the 2 sides. It will reduce the "Hitler", "Racist", "Homophobe", etc... labels which in my view is the #1 reason things have gotten so bad. Hell, a few weeks back Sean Penn and Sean Hannity sat down together and had a very civil conversation and those 2 basically hate each other politically.

I'm a fan of reaction videos on YouTube, mostly non-political music reactions, and over the last year or so I've seen something very interesting taking place. I grew up in the 70's and early 80's, so I like seeing young people react to music from that era and I've noticed that many of the black people who I watched react to classic rock, are now venturing into politics, or at least the fringes of politics. It's been amazing to watch, because at the beginning they of course have to express how they perceive things when it comes to race relations, political parties, economics, the sexes, the alphabet community, etc... which they had never previously talked about. There have been several black men, black women and couples that had a very negative view of white people, with one of them coming out and saying that he always hated white people. I've watched as their views changed over weeks and months right before my eyes and it's been a beautiful thing to witness. Just like so many non-political people out there, all they ever knew about people and politics was what their friends or family had told them, or what they heard through the mainstream media all of their lives.

Even though they are not having a direct conversations with anyone and only watching lectures, speeches and interviews, the same thing is being achieved as it did with Huckabee and Maddow. Because they are earning a living through doing reactions, they have to sit down and actually listen to everything that is being said and as a result, it's transforming a lot of animosity and ignorance into knowledge and understanding. It's amazing to watch and leaves me hopeful that things could actually get better.

.

 

[Lovebug]

"Mutual respect" it should be.

 

[Emily L]

Sitting down and having a civil conversation won't iron out political differences in most cases, but it will reduce the level of vitriol between the 2 sides. It will reduce the "Hitler", "Racist", "Homophobe", etc... labels which in my view is the #1 reason things have gotten so bad. Hell, a few weeks back Sean Penn and Sean Hannity sat down together and had a very civil conversation and those 2 basically hate each other politically.

I'm a fan of reaction videos on YouTube, mostly non-political music reactions, and over the last year or so I've seen something very interesting taking place. I grew up in the 70's and early 80's, so I like seeing young people react to music from that era and I've noticed that many of the black people who I watched react to classic rock, are now venturing into politics, or at least the fringes of politics. It's been amazing to watch, because at the beginning they of course have to express how they perceive things when it comes to race relations, political parties, economics, the sexes, the alphabet community, etc... which they had never previously talked about. There have been several black men, black women and couples that had a very negative view of white people, with one of them coming out and saying that he always hated white people. I've watched as their views changed over weeks and months right before my eyes and it's been a beautiful thing to witness. Just like so many non-political people out there, all they ever knew about people and politics was what their friends or family had told them, or what they heard through the mainstream media all of their lives.

Even though they are not having a direct conversations with anyone and only watching lectures, speeches and interviews, the same thing is being achieved as it did with Huckabee and Maddow. Because they are earning a living through doing reactions, they have to sit down and actually listen to everything that is being said and as a result, it's transforming a lot of animosity and ignorance into knowledge and understanding. It's amazing to watch and leaves me hopeful that things could actually get better.

.

That's a very insightful and interesting post, Grim! Thanks for that!

 

[Mithrae]

When the question of why America has become so politically polarized comes up in conversation, what you most often hear is people from one side of the political spectrum saying that the other side has gotten too radical and extreme. The truth is, it's much simpler than that. The reason things have become so contentious is because one side of the isle has for the most part, refused to sit down and have a discussion with those they disagree with, and instead have chosen to label them "evil" and "dangerous" people that aren't worth talking to. They've made it a taboo for anyone on their side to engage in a discussion with their adversaries, and will quite often attack, and even ostracize anyone on their side who has a discussion with them, or gives them a platform to speak,

You're talking about the people who insist that the 'other side' are commies who hate America and want to destroy it while 'grooming' their children and making them feel guilty for the colour of their skin, right?

Or are you yourself actively demonizing the left by pretending that they are the root of all of America's polarization because they and only they are so closed-minded and insular that they won't talk to others? In other words declaring that the 'other side' has gotten too radical and extreme immediately after pretending that you had a better and simpler "truth" to offer

What the both of them came away with after their discussion, was precisely the thing that in previous years kept political discourse civil and prevented the political divide from reaching a point of no return... They both came away with a better understanding of the other side and a level of mutual respect that can only be obtained by having a civil discussion... Something that those on the far left almost never agree to anymore, but as this conversation demonstrated, needs to take place more often if we expect to keep this country together in the future.

Something that those on the right "almost never agree to" either, obviously. Rather than attempting any kind of coherent analysis of American political history, all you want to do is throw accusations at those you despise... just as some of them do towards the right wing. Such an analysis is not particularly difficult to understand IMO, but based on this and prior posts it seems likely that you won't even want to.

 

[Lisa]

Why are straight folks obsessed with this subject🙄


Pffft... Its not contagious, and your children wil not be recruited.

This is exactly what I do not understand. Why are trans people so threatening to conservatives? Those same conservatives were also terrified of gay people 50 years ago. Is it the concept of something different that they don't understand or do they think that LGBT are going to recruit thee, despite the fact that it is even possible to change a person's sexual orientation or gender identity?