HOW DID WE BECOME SO POLITICALLY POLARIZED?
Former Representative Adam Kinzinger, (R-Ill 16 th district) said that he was disowned by his family after he left Congress and “lost the trust” of Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Kinzinger’s experience is, unfortunately, not an extreme example of the political polarization that has torn apart family and friends. Violence toward opposite groups occurs with increasing regularly. Civil political conversations often are impossible. Pew Research in 2022 said that half of American voters stopped talking politics with someone. They found that 85% of American voters felt misunderstood by
voters on the other side. A New York Times poll that same year found that 1 in 5 voters had political disagreements that hurt relationships with family and friends.
The partisan issues that contribute to polarization include protecting the environment, reforming gun policy, women’s health, immigration, and bolstering our military strength. Yet, differences in political ideals and policy goals should be indicative of a healthy democracy.
Ideological polarization, dislike and distrust of the opposite political party, cuts us off from large groups of Americans. In our daily lives we need to interact with people of different ideologies—friends, neighbors, coworkers. If we think of them as bad people, it is more difficult to interact with them. Inequality of opportunities for Black, Hispanic, and Asian Americans contributes to the divide. Immigrants are held up as a threat rather than an asset. News organizations and social media platforms present false and untrue stories. Religious groups foment conflict by seeking to restrict school
curriculums and banning books at public libraries. Election politics also have contributed to the problem with lax donorship rules and gerrymandering, skewing the landscape. We need to change how primaries are conducted so that the loudest yelling voices are not the only ones that are heard. We need more debates and town halls that give voters an opportunity to ask questions directly.
The consequence of this polarization is gridlock in Congress and difficulty in talking to others in the opposing camp. What can we do to overcome our differences? Family and friends matter. We can begin to focus on issues rather than party. Break out of the media bubble. Learn to fact check what you read and hear. Learn to listen to differing opinions. Find projects that you can share with others in your community.
Thanksgiving dinner with family and friends is an American tradition. Yet sometimes it becomes a setting for political discussions and disagreements. The results of the November 5th election will be a source of dialogue and debate. How can we plan (like we do the dinner menu) to assure not only a moist turkey but respectful conversation? You could agree in advance not to talk politics. You could push a “pause” button if someone starts an unwelcome discussion. If political discussion is inevitable,
listen. Be curious, not furious. If you want to maintain a relationship with this person, back off. Don’t try to win. Avoid labels.
The challenge of talking politics after the election is the topic of our November 14, Coffee 'n Conversation program. Chuck Stone of Braver Angels, the group that is leading a charge to bridge the partisan divide, will lead a discussion on how to talk to groups of people on the other side of the divide. Join us at the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association on November 14 at 9:30am.
May your Thanksgiving be full of peace, love, and joy.
Beverly Tuck
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