Quote:
Originally Posted by GlenBarrington
People on both sides of the aisle {All sides?} have a civil and moral obligation to read works of the best minds of their opposition. How can one refute what one doesn't understand?
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I've always felt that way, but we live in an age in which outrage and hostility seem the commonest responses to any hint of opposition. Strange narratives seem always to be imposed no matter what the writer is trying to say.
I have always tried to find the best arguments and research supporting positions I oppose so that I can formulate better counterarguments. Sadly, we don't seem to be in a political climate in which open-mindedness, source verification, rhetoric and restraint are valued.
I happen to be Jewish by birth, but I have never been called anti-Semitic more often in my life than now for defending the rights and lives of Palestinians. I'm usually called that by people who don't hesitate to assert that Israel, not the U.S. or Canada, is my home country, and that I'm failing my own people by not supporting whatever Netanyahu does.
But I don't mean to wade into political territory, so apologies.
I'm just saying that I try to avoid sparking discussions that can turn nasty on a public forum. I try to follow forum policies, which generally tell us not to discuss politics or religion.