Where Are The Statesmen? Where Is Statesmanship?
10 October 2003
There is a nasty tendency in human relations today. It says, ”never acknowledge or quote anything your opponent says.” If you’re a conservative, never quote a liberal. If you’re a Democrat, never quote a Republican, except to argue with his or her point. If you and your peer are ”competing” for the same promotion, acknowlegde nothing good about them, their work or their ideas.
Somehow this just seems all wrong. It’s also boring. Some of the funniest stuff you’ll hear comes from clever, bright people on the opposing side. None of this is limited to politics. It happens in the technology debates. It happens in social circles. Venemous and rancorous mudslinging is getting us nowhere.
There is a gridlock in so many places. No movement forward is evident. I’m not sure how we get back to bipartisan politics and civil discourse, but it is time. Now for an example of someone who would never be conciliatory in any way with any member of the Republican party.
Okay, here goes. I cannot imagine myself being any more opposed to a candidate or having greater opposition to the views and approach of a candidate for office than I have with Al Sharpton. However, the way this rolled off the tongue, well you be the judge:
Tony Blair and George Bush had a meeting; acted as though it was a world summit two guys in a phone booth, acting like the whole world had met.
Filed under: Thinking