People

Ever wonder why some people always jump to negative conclusions about everything? Me, too. I can't figure it out. What happened in a child's life that caused him to grow up into a bitter adult? Instead of seeing a half full glass and being thankful, they see a half empty glass and are resentful. Instead of saying that they believe the other person's convictions are not valid and starting a 'war of words' why can't they just say that they disagree but will defend the other person's rights to their convictions.

Interesting thing about convictions -- they can change.

That was earth shattering, wasn't it? For some people it is. Some people are so stuck in their ruts that they don't want to examine any other road to see if it has less ruts.

Let's take politics as an example. Just pulling this out of the blue, okay? Let's go back a few years to the polarizing effect of the Kennedy election. How many Democrats refused to vote for JFKennedy because he was a Catholic and some religious leaders were saying he'd get his orders directly from the Vatican. Now, common sense says this is ridiculous, but I heard many people express this thought on television. What would have happened if there had been the Internet and Bloggers ready to pounce to define every word and describe every itch and scratch?

Johnson polarized the nation but the ire festered beneath the surface. Some will question if I have my facts correct. There was definitely two sides on the issue of "The Great Society." Did LBJ produce a Great Society?

Then we can go to the polarization of the Nixon years. More so after Watergate.

I think maybe that was the original 'beginning' of the plethora of bad feelings between Republicans and Democrats. Was the now admitted "Deep Throat" a patriot or a Benedict Arnold? Sides are drawn in the sand and opinions flare on that one.

The Reagan years were happier. Reagan, ever the consummate actor, was the person this Country needed at the time of his election. He pulled the Country together... and challenged Gorbechev to "tear down this wall."

The Clinton years -- now if nothing had polarized politics previously, Clinton would have. As it was, there already was a festering polarization and Clinton stoked the fire and created the huge separation in party politics that we see exhibited before us today.

Now we're in the Bush-Cheney era. (You noticed I left out a few Presidents, they weren't nearly as memorable as the ones mentioned. Sorry, Bush-41.) It seems as if JFKerry has done more to polarize politics than to bring unity to a politically divided Nation. His rhetoric doesn't give me the impression that he wants to help the Nation heal. You may feel differently and that's fine. I won't debate you because your beliefs are important to you. Sometimes people place so much weight on their beliefs that if challenged, they "go ballistic." Sometimes people just are ballistic.

Where are you in this conundrum? Are you willing to soften your rhetoric in an effort to find common ground? Are you willing to look at the other side? My personal observation is that those who lean towards the "right" (or "correct") side -- conservatives, in other words, (and stop this "neo-con" terminology, it's divisive), are more willing to look into the pot of Liberalism/Progressivism and come away with a "yup, they just proved why I am a conservative" than Liberals/Progressives are willing to look into the cauldron of Conservativism and have anything to say worthy of being placed in the print-media.

What does this say? I've read and watched normally pleasant people turn into venomous creatures (from the Black Lagoon) when the topic of politics is brought up.

Why? We're all living on the same planet. We all breathe the same air. Yet . . . .

If anything strikes home as you read this, please consider why and make it a goal to become more willing to look at differing viewpoints without making disparaging remarks.

Okay? Now, go play nice!