Many balk at talking to the other side, the Right-Wing. My question is what is the alternative. The only other option is untenable.
Right-Wing Americans
A listener of Politics Done Right sent me a clip from a commentator who believes talking to some people like Right-Wing Americans is worthless.
“The biggest waste of time is arguing with a fool and fanatic who doesn’t care about truth or reality but only the victory of his or her beliefs or illusions,” the commentator said. “Never waste time on discussions that make no sense. There are people who for all the evidence presented to them do not have the ability to understand nor do they want to understand. They just want to argue. Others who are blinded by ego or hatred and resentment, the only thing that they want is to be right even if they aren’t. The saying goes; when ignorance screams intelligence moves on.”
I have a few comments about his necessary but incomplete commentary. It is the reason I wrote the book “It’s Worth It: How to Talk To Your Right-Wing Relatives, Friends, and Neighbors.”
I believe in shoring up and empowering the Progressive and Democratic base. But I know from experience that there are many on the Right looking for a place to land if given the opportunity. And that delta of people is the winning margin for 2022. Please listen to the entire clip and then give me your thoughts.