Hardline

A brief thought.

It is easy to be a hardline political or religious thinker. Taking a position on a series of related issues and refusing to delineate from that position is easy. I am convinced that is why there is such a vocal right and left in this country. Allowing people to be extreme in their convictions is part of living in a democratic society that encourages and protects free speech and freedom to believe and worship as one chooses. The problem with extremist thinking is their refusal to allow empathy to enter their thought process.

A caveat, i am not the the pinnacle of empathy and grace. I tend to make reactionary statements and get defensive when i don't agree with anothers position. However, i see the merit in being able to identify with many different schools of thought and purpose. The challenge, as i see it, is for individuals to remain true to their convictions without alienating those around them.

My limited observation has been people with a hardline stance simply have a hardline stance and if i ask why they think the way they do their answers are often vague and general leading to my conclusion that people think the way they do because it fits an image they are trying to hide behind or they have taken issues at face value alone and are on the activist band wagon fad parade--left or right.

I have long since run out of patience with people who allow their politics and religious beliefs to take this form. Life is to short to constantly be on the defensive and to live a life that inspires hate and fear. This is as true for liberal minded people as conservative minded people, both sides push their platforms on fear campaigns. Both sides are equally prejudice and closed minded to the other. It is not a new observation that the "open minded" modern liberals are only open minded so far as people agree with what they already think. The same is true for conservatives but as least they have the sense to admit that they believe one way.

Ours is a country of compromise, the earliest debates in the capitol were resolved as political leaders on all sides of the political spectrum came together in compromise. This is a big world with a lot of individuals all thinking, at least a little bit, differently. We can spend a lot of time pointing out the faults and failures of those around us or we can encourage one another, even those we don't agree with, and come together.

It is not necessary to think and believe and feel the same as everyone else. This would be a dull, grey, and bleak world if that were the case. It is necessary to be different and have convicted beliefs and immovable stands on issues that affect our society. Our freedom to speak out and believe differently is one of the things that makes us unique in this world. But we should balance ourselves with empathy. In the words of Dr. Suess: "always speak with great care and great tact and remember that life's a big balancing act." Healthy, heated debate is fine, so long as we can come to a healthy conclusion.

Constant belittling, fear and hate mongering, and oppression of people as they make mistakes is a quick way to foster division in a society already split own the middle, nearly irreparably so.