First, watch this interview with Mr. Fox (click to open video in new window), and then you can read my reaction to the whole situation below…
Now, here is my reaction…Sometimes the Left is Right. What does that mean? It means that sometimes the people we disagree with the most politically, philosophically, or religiously can say things that we believe. And I firmly believe that part of being a mature, cognitively developed, adaptive human being is being able to admit when someone you don’t like or don’t agree with is right. (or at the very least has a point)
Now, I don’t agree with his stance on stem cell research but I do agree with his approachability. He exhibits a willingness to sit down and discuss the issue; he shows the ability to freely and responsibly exchange ideas in the free marketplace. He isn’t shouting someone else down, he isn’t making fun of those who disagree with him, he is simply stating his opinion. Why are we so threatened by this?
Why are we so afraid to admit that someone who we disagree with can occasionally say something we do agree with? Why are we more interested in shouting down and belittling the other side instead of building up our own side? When did politics become filled with childish banter and cruel school yard ad hominems?
I long for the days of honest political debates and gentlemanly discourses; I think we would all be better people if we chose to elevate our discourse to such a level that we could discuss what we believe and why we believe it instead of yelling at and making fun of those who don’t believe what we believe.
