Brain Lemon

One of the enduring things one must remember in politics is that every actor, whether conservative, liberal, or otherwise, is at base a human being.  This fact is lost when many refuse to acknowledge the basic humanity of opponents.  It is also lost when we don’t realize that as human beings, we are prone to make judgments based on things outside the realm of principles and logic.  This can be both a good thing and a bad thing, but regardless, it is a fact of life.

Much can be said about this tendency to forget basic human nature.  In the course of debate, it is sometimes common to both ignore the nature of opponents, or to impute to them the entirety of human failings while ceasing to be honest about one’s own.  This is true on both the Left and the Right.  Both sides are guilty of attempting to portray adversaries as either cold and calculating, or as enslaved to basal emotions.  Each tactic serves as an effort to gain the moral high ground.

As responsible people, though, it is important that we try to avoid these tools as much as possible, and recognize the human nature of both our rivals and ourselves.  We need to realize that all sides are both served and undermined by emotions and human needs and desires.  While it is certainly not possible to remove ourselves from this equation, I think it is important that we at least try to keep a clear head, come back to our core beliefs, and try our darndest to make decisions based on these principles instead of our passions.

I think the “Ground Zero Mosque” debate provides an excellent example of this.  Both sides have reacted and acted with much emotion, quite understandably.  When the subject of 9/11 is brought up, it very reasonably brings up all manner of feelings, hearkening back to that dark day and the pain it still causes.  Because of this, the debate has been very heated and personal.  Leftists have tried to demonize conservatives by concluding that their objections are not out of genuine feelings but rather out of nascent Islamophobia.  And conservatives have reacted with great passion, in the process saying some regrettable things and falling prey to emotionalism and pandering.

I can’t say much about the Left – their reasons for dehumanizing the Right are clear.  It is a well-known tactic for liberals to assume they have a monopoly on both reason and compassion.  But I do wish to say something to my conservative friends.  Try, as best as you can, to remember the things you stand for.  Things like treating all religions equally, not blaming the group for the actions of the few, being welcoming to all peoples, and standing for rights even for people who may disregard and despise those rights.

If we can do this, we can cool the fires that have fueled some very troubling, and yes, anti-Muslim statements.  I don’t believe for a second that most conservatives hate all Muslims.  But far too often in this debate we have tolerated and participated in widespread condemnation of the entire faith.  The passions that this debate bring forth are understandable and healthy.  But we are even better served by a cool head and sticking to our principles.