Issues

Nonviolence . . . Human trafficking . . . Women . . . . The elderly . . . Immigrants' rights . . . Housing. . . Children . . . Prisoners' rights . . . Health care . . . World Hunger . . . Globalization, as it affects Latin America . . . Care of the earth . . . Seamless ethic of life

Note: The ideas and opinions expressed in this blog are solely those of the author's and should not be ascribed to the Congregation of Sisters of St. Agnes or its members.





Thursday, August 30, 2018

Three steps for more civil political debate in the Trump era


Greetings,

The negative political ads are upon us!  It’s a good time to think about how we can be a positive influence amid the turmoil, falsehoods, and lack of respect.  I have listed the three steps below, but encourage you to read the article.

1. Spend less time discussing politics on social media.  Have a respectful conversation in person.

2. Make sure you are engaging for the right reasons. Ask fair questions, listen, and then listen some more.

3. Embrace the struggle between what may first seem to be competing truths. F. Scott Fitzgerald once wrote, “The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function.”

1 comment:

  1. Appreciate your picking out the key ideas for us. Civil conversation needs to focus on the common good and hope for improving the future for the citizens who come behind us. When we stress the positive values we can avoid judgemental and condemnatory rhetoric.

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