I think the biggest hot-button topic today is health care reform. Everyone has an opinion about what should happen, and I've seen people get angry when someone doesn't see things their way. Today I tried to express my opinion in a reasonable manner when I sent a message to someone I disagree with.
The recipient was the author of a column that appears in a community newspaper that gets mailed all the houses in our area. Although the newspaper is conservative-leaning, I usually give it a few minutes of my time before I put it in the recycling bin because there are often articles about my city that don't make the main metropolitan paper. Sometimes I read the columns and letters to the editor because I like to examine ideas from different points of view; I try to take away some thought-provoking tidbits.
In the latest edition of the paper, one of the columnists made some points about health care that I completely disagreed with. Usually when that happens, I get annoyed and toss the paper. This time, though, I felt the need to express my views. When I wrote, I gave all the reasons why I disagreed with his assessment, and I tried to make my points in a reasonable manner. It doesn't help to bash the author!
I felt better after I hit the 'send' button. I have no expectation that my short message will cause the author to change his thinking, but hopefully he'll read my opinions with an open mind.
Hope he does. Maybe he will give it some thought as it is always good to see things in a new light.
ReplyDeleteIt is time to make our views known, for sure. People not being involved in our systems, have resulted in chaos.
ReplyDeleteI hope he does too. I try to read opinions from across the spectrum, but sometimes finishing what I'm reading is difficult when I realize the words are written on a brick wall.
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