Civil Discourse

I miss the days, when a liberal and a conservative could sit down and have a discussion of ideas, many of which they were in total disagreement. Discussions that didn't devolve to name-calling, or impugn one's character, but rather an exchange of thoughts, principles, and ideas.

I long for debates in which individuals consider the other's views to the point that they might even change their mind if the logic of their argument was inescapable.

I think they used to call it "civil discourse"

I read in a history book that the Father of Modern Conservatism, Barry Goldwater was crushed by the Kennedy's assassination.

Apparently he and JFK had discussions in the early months of 1963 about doing a nation wide series of debates in the tradition of the famous Lincoln / Douglas debates.

These two men, each devout in their political idealogy, one liberal, one conservative, relished the exchange of their ideas.
I have no doubt that JFK had some influence in reshaping Goldwater's beliefs and visa versa.

Today's "scorched earth" landscape in which people of the same party and almost identical views, claw, and sneer, and take cheap shots in an effort to climb on top is repulsive to me.

This kind of behaviour makes it almost an impossibility of having any meaning full dialogue with those who have vastly differing views.

I love debate...and I enjoy "disagreeing" with thoughtful, intelligent creatures. But I have no tolerance whatsoever for idealogues who simply want to find ways to disparage my views and play a game of one upmanship for onlookers.

- mark