Our country feels like a powder keg right now, and anything we can do to calm people down would be a good thing. Last week I attended a workshop from a group called “Better Angels”. Their mission is to promote dialog between reds and blues, or conservatives and liberals. The workshop was not how to change opinion. Instead, they emphasized that if we show respect for the opinions of another, it often leads to them respecting us.
As a culture, progressives are in the midst of listening hard to the voices of other races and sexual orientations. The same is not true for opposing political views. I think we fear that showing sympathy will lead to losing power over the conversation. We are on the side of the oppressed...they represent the oppressor. But do they? Both right and left wingers claim to represent the underdog. Yet when elected, their candidates tend to go along with corporate and military agendas. There’s a huge opportunity to work together, if we would actually communicate with each other. We know in theory that those in power like it if we fight each other, instead of putting the blame where it belongs, to those who misuse their power over us. Let’s find out how to get along.
In another workshop two weeks ago, I learned about the classic non-violent communication skills developed by Marshall Rosenberg. It was taught by a member of Rose City NVC or nonviolent communication.
The two workshops were free and shared a lot of the same skills. Both Better Angels and Rose City NVC have web sites and local chapters. Check them out! (I am writing from Portland, Oregon.)
I presented this commentary over the KBOO evening news.
As a culture, progressives are in the midst of listening hard to the voices of other races and sexual orientations. The same is not true for opposing political views. I think we fear that showing sympathy will lead to losing power over the conversation. We are on the side of the oppressed...they represent the oppressor. But do they? Both right and left wingers claim to represent the underdog. Yet when elected, their candidates tend to go along with corporate and military agendas. There’s a huge opportunity to work together, if we would actually communicate with each other. We know in theory that those in power like it if we fight each other, instead of putting the blame where it belongs, to those who misuse their power over us. Let’s find out how to get along.
In another workshop two weeks ago, I learned about the classic non-violent communication skills developed by Marshall Rosenberg. It was taught by a member of Rose City NVC or nonviolent communication.
The two workshops were free and shared a lot of the same skills. Both Better Angels and Rose City NVC have web sites and local chapters. Check them out! (I am writing from Portland, Oregon.)
I presented this commentary over the KBOO evening news.