Why Has It Become So Difficult To Talk About Politics?
Don’t worry, this post isn’t so much about politics but, rather, how we talk about politics. This week, I’ve been thinking about some things for which I am thankful. The ability to write or speak about politics without fear of being verbally attacked is one of them. We do still have that in the United States, right?
What happened to us, America? When did we as a nation decide to simply react with hostility rather than engage one another thoughtfully during moments of disagreement? Does anyone else recall ever having a civil conversation with someone who voted for the other guy or gal? It seems like it has been a while.
We’ve had two major political parties in this country for a long time but, lately, people on both sides are acting like we should have only one. The behavior has gotten so childish that I find myself avoiding even people who I know vote the same way I do. Then, just when I thought all hope was lost, comedian Sarah Silverman has gone and done something encouraging. She listened with an open mind.
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There’s no question as to which way Sarah Silverman voted in 2016. She was an active campaigner for Bernie Sanders and then, following his defeat in the Democratic presidential primary, Hillary Clinton. No one would have been surprised if the comedian had simply spent the past year taking one shot after another at President Trump and his supporters. But that would have been too easy for her.
Instead, Silverman has been traveling across the country and speaking with people of all political persuasions, including Trump supporters, for the Hulu show I Love You, America. And she says it has been a very positive experience. Sarah found that, underneath the veneer of politics, most Americans just want to feel like they’re being heard. For that to happen, someone needs to listen. We all need to listen.
