Thread by @soychicka

This.

I had dinner last night with a lovely family who just happened to be 'far right wing' activists and GOP bundlers who supported Roy Moore in 2017.

But they were also good people who pulled their support for Moore after the allegations surfaced.

https://twitter.com/davidmweissman/status/1035264619189874689

I was so used to hearing the divisive rhetoric pushed by unthinking Fox news viewers that I held off getting in touch with them for nearly two years, fearing that - at worst - an unintentional slip of the tongue would do harm to what I'm trying to accomplish.

And that's not an unintentional side effect of Trump's propaganda network - it's one of their aims. Divide, polarize, isolate, profit.

It's not healthy when preconceptions about our fellow citizens lead us to fear interacting with the other end of the ideological spectrum.

Because honestly, most of what we're looking for in life is the same. Most of our goals are the same. We want people to live safe, healthy lives. We want others to have opportunity to grow and improve, including ourselves.

It's most often the tactics on which we disagree.

So stop starting conversations with the concrete - the solutions to the problems that prove fodder for the loudmouths in conservative media to rail against and divide us with.

Start by identifying the problem and the goal. Find the points upon which we all agree...

Look for new evidence - it might show that you're both right, in part.

And come up with new solutions to the old problems. There are more solutions that can help solve the big issues - sometimes, a tiered or evolving set of tactics are required.

There are some whose minds are so closed to that which is beyond their experience that they're beyond hope: when you find them, realize your time will be better spent wishing them well, and finding others to engage with who will value a meaningful attempt to find common ground.

And, for Bob's sake, don't try to engage with those in your family who you've found recalcitrant to past attempts at meaningful dialogue - preconceptions about your motives and tactics can prevent you from being effective/respected.

Instead, find a friend and swap families :)

And unless you have your facts and primary documentation at hand, don't insist that you're correct.

Instead, when you come to a point of contention, where different conclusions can be drawn from the same evidence, don't assume you're right.

Instead, ask them "What if?"

What if climate change has an anthropogenic component that is exacerbating any cyclical oscillations?

What if homosexuality is biologically mediated?

What if someone comes forward with incontrovertible proof they were assaulted by [favorite politician] as a pre-teen?

What if Trump really is an asset of a hostile foreign nation?

What if your elected official knew, and did nothing?

If that could be proven, is it right? Is it just? Should we do something about it?
Does it make our nation or our world a better, healthier, stronger place?

Fortunately, I found myself peacefully, pleasantly, constructively debating only two of those issues last night, as our shared perspective on the remainder of those topics were the predicate to the evening.

So. Find those goals you share, insist all talking points are checked at the door.

Approach it as a collaboration, as an opportunity to come together to solve problems.

Try it this weekend... and who knows - maybe by defining goals together, setting aside ideology and preconceptions, you can actually work together to change the world for the better.

& I'm sure you'll be hearing more about the outcome of this trial run in the very near future.