Estimated reading time: 2 minute(s)

One last thing to say in the arena of politics today.

For a while now I have been really bothered by the way political discussions are so heavily slanted in one direction or another. The same issue can be discussed by either “side” of an issue using almost exactly the same terms but applied equally to either side. The “left” accuses the right of being “stupid”, “ignorant”, having “blind party allegiances”, and of course, misrepresenting the facts. The “right” is guilty of exactly the same broad-brush labeling.

I’ve said before on this blog that I am – if anything – libertarian. I suppose I would fall under the more socially conservative brand of such a label, but basically I believe both “sides of the aisle” are just in it for themselves and all are inflating our government to some monstrous entity it was never intended to be. Rights and responsibility belong squarely in the hands and on the shoulders of the people. Period.

Perhaps because I have no allegiance to any party I can see this more clearly? I’m not sure why it’s so hard to see, but the plain truth is…

No one is listening.

No one. No one is bothering to hear what any other opinions might be. No one seems to care to actually come at the issues or problems or whatever it is that supposedly are at the heart of any discourse from the perspective of the other person or “party”. I hear things said about “the right” that I know are not true. (Because I believe some of the things that are being “attacked”, and the reasons given by “left-leaning” folks that I believe them are nowhere near the truth. I fully assume the same is true in reverse.

If we would just bother to actually listen to each other, we’d find we’re not that different.

The approach, and even general philosophy of how to manage/govern a large group of people may differ, but the heart of the matter (what happens to our families, neighbors, communities, and even our country) is the same. We are the same.

I’m not sure our selfish nature will ever allow us to truly listen to one another. But if we ever did, the results would be astounding. True, others-oriented cooperation is at the heart of real community, isn’t it?

“Treat other people the way you would want to be treated.”

A paraphrase of the so-called “Golden Rule”. Words spoken by Jesus. Perhaps we should really listen to them.