Pledges to work toward unity
I want to thank Andrew Colom and Slim Smith for their thoughtful letter and column, respectively, in earlier issues of the Dispatch this week. We need more of this sort of reasoned approach in my view. I have adopted a similar perspective. Let me explain.
Nobody who reads this page would have to guess who I voted for. On the other hand, 71 million voters — very nearly half the electorate — voted differently. Clearly, 71 million people is far too many to not take very, very seriously. It does our country a disservice for anyone, me included, to act as if all those voters are somehow ‘wrong’. Of course, the same is true in reverse — as if there is a real ‘wrong’ and a real ‘right’, anyway. To do in my view, is to the detriment of all Americans — a step towards the suicide Mr. Colom (and President Lincoln) referred to.
Further, the majority of Lowndes County — and likely the majority of my immediate neighbors — are among that 71 million. I consider myself truly fortunate to live among these folks, as I have said before. I hope and suspect the same is true in reverse, despite my outspoken political views. If I have learned anything from 14 years in my current neighborhood, it’s that you don’t have to agree politically to be good neighbors. Frankly, I have never lived among a finer set of people despite living in at least 19 other neighborhoods — they are one giant reason why those years have been the best of my life.
Thus far, however, I have avoided political discussions with neighbors out of a mutual sense that little good was likely to come from having them. I don’t think that’s true anymore, though. To my neighbors and, further, to any Trump supporter: I pledge from now forward to listen to any of you willing to engage regarding your reasons for supporting President Trump as objectively as I possibly can, without judgment or criticism. There is nothing to be learned by putting anyone on the defensive — and understanding is what we all need. Personally, I now see this as my civic duty; important to uniting this nation at one of the most critical times in our nation’s history.
As I have said before, I now understand far better how much this ‘American experiment,’ fragile though it may be, means to me. I would be lost without it and must do whatever I can to further its chances of survival.
Paul Mack
Columbus
The Dispatch Editorial Board is made up of publisher Peter Imes, columnist Slim Smith, managing editor Zack Plair and senior newsroom staff.
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