Presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump
were forced to say nice things about each other at the end of their most recent
televised debate. It was the highlight of the debate and the question each
candidate did the best at answering in my opinion.
There are deep ideological and cultural rifts
coursing through this country, though is probably most consensus on things than
people realize. Still, our politics reflect that and why shouldn’t they?
There’s not a lot of consensus on things and we’re going to have to fight it
out in the area of our legislatures and other corridors of power.
I submit this idea: there is more damage done by people
trying to avoid fights than by engaging in them. Honestly think about that.
We’re all so afraid of conflict that we will upend our lives to avoid them
rather than face them head-on. Why?
Years ago when I was in college, I was active in a debate
society and one of the officers was impeached and put on trial. It was trivial
stuff that college kids love to blow out of proportion, but an entire meeting
that would normally have been dedicated to debating the issues of the day was
spent putting someone on trial with counsel and a judge and the society
membership acting as jury. Debating the fate of the officer lasted into the wee
hours of the morning, and he was convicted of several offenses but then not
removed from office. Discussing this a year or so later, a member of a rival
debate society thought this was the worst thing ever and boasted that this
would never happen among their member. I told him, in the most diplomatic terms
possible, that he was full of shit.
A life devoid of conflict is not life at all. And life is about resolving conflict, not
avoiding it. What appeared to outsiders as a fratricidal bloodletting was
business as usual for our group. We thrived on debate and emerged from the
impeachment ordeal stronger and better. Sure there were hurt feelings and
bruised egos; when aren’t there. A real debate society will never turn down an
opportunity to debate.
Our state of politics is the same. It’s not comforting that
the U.S. has widely disliked candidates heading our major parties’ tickets. But
let’s have it out politically and fight our fights. Of course it’s going to get
negative and nasty. Our statesmen of old were every bit as negative and
back-biting as our politicians of today. The difference is that they didn’t
pose and shirk their responsibilities to engage and fight it. That’s how things
move forward. You’re not going to win every fight; but a battered fighter is
worth ten times an unscathed coward.
Our Congress can block things and refuse to allow Supreme
Court candidates or other candidates for important positions to come to a vote.
That’s the most wuss thing you can do. Do you not want a candidate to hold office?
Vote against them. Take a stand and let the chips fall where they may.
When battle lines are drawn, advance upon them, don’t
retreat. Great nations were never built by people who avoided fighting for what
they wanted.
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