Civil Conversation

I recently read a piece on the ways that supporters for Donald Trump and Bernie Sanders sound very similar to each other in terms of tone and rhetoric.  It’s great piece that reveals one of the fundamental problems in America right now – the 5^th grade schoolyard bullies are driving the political conversation.  As the piece points out, both Trump’s MAGA supporters and the Bernie Bros resort to name-calling and abuse anytime they detect someone who is less than 100% behind their preferred candidate.  The extremists within these two camps will aggressively attack those within their own party because minor, petty differences.

Amplifying petty differences into major reasons to attack others is no way to discuss and deal with the problems facing this country.  Instead of discussing different progressive approaches to solving the health-care crisis, we’re arguing about whether Sanders told Warren that a woman couldn’t be elected president.  Defend Warren’s comments and suffer under a deluge of abuse from the most ardent of the “Bernie Bros.”  Trump’s supporters often behave the same way.  Criticize his use of military funds for his border wall and watch out.  I’ve even experienced this first-hand.  When I’ve taken the time to respond to various posts from my Congressman, I inevitably get someone replying to my post by calling me an idiot or telling me I’ve been brainwashed by the liberal media or some other attack that does absolutely nothing to move the conversation forward.

Now I get that the various social media platforms are not the best places to have a real conversation on issues like health-care, student loan debt, immigration, etc.  But firing off insults and violent vitriol at every perceived slight isn’t going to get us anywhere either, especially when the attacks are aimed at our supposed allies.  So let’s get back to having real conversations and talk about actual issues.