How Can We Talk With Each Other About American Politics Today?

There’s a lot of anxiety floating in the air. Some people are worried, some are terrified. Some are happy with the new administration and speak up freely while others keep quiet, fearing ridicule or worse. Our country is split. In half. The morning after the Presidential election my first thought was that half of us don’t know the other half of us.

I have some people in my life who I dearly love with whom I do not share political views. Maybe you do too. How are you dealing with maintaining your relationships while experiencing the past week’s rallies and protests so differently. Do you avoid? Do you argue? If you do talk about politics, HOW are you navigating these rough waters? To be totally honest, I mostly avoid. It’s not the greatest long term plan but it’s what I’ve landed on for now. I tell myself that I avoid because I don’t want to ‘go there’; it’s pointless. My relationships will outlive these differences. Sometimes I question my avoidant stance.

Many of us are simply not interested in learning the other peoples' points of view. If you watch the news - any channel - Respectful discourse seems to have evaporated. Panels are stocked with people who can articulate their point but nobody is listening to the other side. 

What about dialogue? Dialoging requires listening, pausing, pondering. Mostly listening; more pausing, less reacting. What if we started dialoguing and stopped debating? They’re very different. Dialogue includes mirroring, validating and empathizing. 

When I stop avoiding talking about the current political climate I’ll do it through dialogue because I know debating won’t work for me. Wish me luck.