Up until yesterday, I had never even thought about it. Writers put themselves out on a limb, each and every time they put pen to paper. No matter what the topic, no matter what the position, no matter what the presentation, someone will dislike you for it, or take exception to it. If you lean one way, the other will want to chastise you for it, if you try to stay centered, both ends will close in on you. Present one view this time, and another next, and you have become a waffler. Can a person not have views from all over the spectrum of society. Is that not what makes us attracted to each other, the versatility each of us shows. The ability to see multiple points of view, to communicate with those from other walks of life, the open mindedness of acceptance, these things make for a great society.
I love to write, to think outside myself, to consider the opinions of others, and try to understand why.
I have asked so many times, “What were you thinking?” So many of those times, I was shocked by the answer. Just because I was thinking along another path did not make that person wrong, it just made less sense to me. I am sure the reverse was happening to them. I recently wrote and posted an opinion peace about Passion in Politics, just an opinion. I received wonderful comments from all my friends from the right, nothing from the left, and I am sure I have some left thinking friends and relatives. Where did they go?
People should be able to engage in simple debate without feeling quite so intense that a fight or hard feelings erupts. If a writer can lay themselves out for all the world to critique, batter, and bruise. Should friends not be able to carry on a conversation from different points of view without damaging each other?
How can we ever come together, repairing the country we all love so much, if we can’t even come together for conversation?