There were a lot of opinions flying around about the government shutdown this morning. I popped on Facebook, and just about everyone seemed to have something to say about what's happening.
Some posters were emotional, sharing stories about the personal cost of the shutdown in terms of jobs lost. Others voiced frustration about what they saw as a lack of compromise. Still others put a human face on what they saw as the imperative need for national healthcare with stories of loved ones lost or sick and suffering without it.
I wondered as I read, do we even hear what others have to say once we realize they don't share our views? Once we decide we are right, do we listen to opposing viewpoints in order to understand their perspective?
I don't think we do.
Think I'm wrong? Go to your Facebook page and choose a shutdown discussion that you keep tabs on for the rest of the day. Watch how quickly the conversation devolves into insults about the GOP or Obama, getting into name-calling and insults.
I'm not a Pollyanna. I don't think people will or even should always get along. But how we disagree has much to do with whether or not we will ever be able to agree on anything.
We claim we want Congress to stop playing games and with the one-upmanship. But I think they reflect the attitudes of the American public pretty well.
We just don't like what we see.
What do you think? Respond in the comments below.
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