It’s OK to disagree. Seriously, it’s human nature. If you think otherwise, you are an idiot.  Oops, I just indulged in the sort of name-calling that is all too common in our political discourse.

When we resort to name-calling, we are telling others that we are not interested in what they have to say. Our mind is closed.

Name-calling does nothing to advance a discussion, nor does it help resolve disagreements. It does the opposite. It conveys hostility and shuts down discourse. If we are not speaking with each other, we don’t have to recognize our common humanity.

People have legitimate questions and concerns in our country today, and  more conversation is needed. The question is how do we have conversations that are productive, rather than standoffs?

Technology and the internet has made it easy for those without a voice to be heard.   The internet has made it all too easy to engage in vitriol and attack people with whom we disagree. Such corrosive discourse carries over into our attitudes toward others.  It is easy to get caught up in the moment in an internet free-for-all. When people start weighing  in the comment section, it can raise one’s ire pretty quickly. I’ve gotten snippy a few times I must admit, but I now impose limits on my online reactions.

Our leaders are also responsible for some of the hostile rhetoric that we often see and hear being hurled at each other daily.  Hateful rhetoric connects to real world violence and when politicians preach violence and hostility, citizens see it as an impetus to do likewise and behave badly.  They all need to set the example and cease and desist from the hooliganistic behaviour in Parliament, on the radios or even in the communities where they live.

Whether or not we agree with the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Speaker of the House or any member of Parliament for that matter, it is incumbent upon us to be respectful.  Disagree by all means, but let us be respectful.

I read all the online comments.   But I don’t engage in heated discussions. I also resolved to keep my comments respectful. I refuse to be a part of the problem.

If we can agree that we all are “tearing our country apart,” then that’s a start.   Maybe we can begin to find other areas of  commonality and agreement.