I Just Don’t Get It

OK, I just don’t get it. After the last two weeks of testimony
in Congress (as well as the Mueller Report) I just can’t understand how anyone
can still believe Donald Trump is not a criminal.  I always figured I was a pretty smart guy. But
I just don’t get this.

Then the other day I realized I was going down a road that
is not so smart. Most of the time when I don’t understand something, I ask a
lot of questions. In this case, when I looked at the evidence I came to a certain
conclusion. Since I’m so smart, I assumed my conclusion must be the correct
one. That led me to another conclusion: If you came to a different conclusion
you must have overlooked something in the evidence, so I should repeat the evidence
to you with increasing volume until you acquiesce and convert to my way of
thinking.

Well, obviously that’s just not going to work because you
think you are as smart as me (and you’re probably right). You have the strength
of your convictions. So, when my volume goes up so does yours. Does this sound
familiar? How many arguments have we had these past few years with friends,
family and neighbors about this topic that went exactly this way? This path inevitably
leads to strengthening our divisions and hard feelings.

So, what if we try something different? We all see the same
evidence but come to different conclusions. How about we ask about and truly try
to understand the opposite point of view?

We have a long history during times of calamity like wars
and natural disasters of putting our differences aside and coming together to
work toward a common goal. What if, in the Thanksgiving week to come, in the inevitable
discussions of current events, we truly try to understand conclusions different
than our own? We are all, after all, more alike than we are different—patriotic
Americans.

Who knows what conclusions we might reach together?