par·ti·san
[pahr-tuh-zuhn, -suhn; Brit. pahr-tuh-zan]
noun
1. an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or
cause, especially a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance…
During the conventions The
Daily Show interviewed delegates at the conventions asking who was causing the
deadlock in Washington. It was uncanny how similar the responses were. Granted,
editing can do amazing things to skew the results of the interviews and they
certainly selected the responses they wanted to show for the piece. Both sides
characterized their opponents as wholly responsible for the problems in
Washington; describing them as "whiney crybabies."
The problem is that is the way partisans behave. Admittedly,
this statement is based on an admittedly un-scientific sampling including only
my personal friends, relatives, and acquaintances that have a leaning one way
or the other and cannot be taken as any authoritative opinion. But when I
discuss politics with my friends who express a preference for either of the two
major party candidates, they all say the same thing: "The [opposing party
name]s are the problem in Washington. Their views are ruining America."
This morning I came across an opinion piece from the right
that highlights this cognitive disingenuousness wonderfully. In his opinion
piece Four more years of 'Bronco Bama' will
divide us more (The Washington Examiner), the
author (Conn Carroll) makes the argument that reelecting the president will
further divide the country and he plays on (half of) what a little girl from
Colorado says in a video which her mother shot that has gone viral.
The author seems to have missed the fact that what
Abigael Evans said was that she was tired of BOTH candidates. Her mother
was listening to NPR and Abby was, as are many (most?) of us, sick to the teeth
of the whole thing.
Mr. Carroll seems to ignore the fact that a plurality of the
nation (that figure would be about 47% according to Mitt Romney) would be
equally upset should Mr. Obama NOT be reelected. The truth he seems
to want to ignore is that no matter who wins on Tuesday, about half the nation
is going to feel alienated. Why? Partisanship is rampant. And the parties are
doing NOTHING to reduce it. As long as BOTH SIDES continue to vilify their opponents,
individually and collectively, compromise and progress will be a hard-fought,
long, and uphill slog. Starting a negotiation by insulting the person with whom
you are negotiating is, generally speaking, a really bad strategy!
Wherever you are today I hope that you will remember that
words have consequences. Please, choose the words you use carefully.
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