Back to the idea of civil discourse . . .

We had a great time today talking in a civil way in our living room with some Internet friends we had never met in real life before. It's good to have a chance to sit down with a few people and kick some ideas around.  Though we probably don't agree on everything in the world, there's a kind of warmth you can have when the air is clear to discuss strengths and weaknesses of an idea.

A couple of times we ended up observing that there are times for us all when we are talking with family members and find that we need to exercise a lot of tact and discretion in what we do.  But that's the kind of dignity we afford discussions with people we care about.

I've been casually following the National Organization for Marriage and their summer tour.  Here's a blog about it. http://www.ruthblog.org/category/nom-summer-marriage-tour-2010/

What strikes me is that the people on the tour seem to be trying to make an effort at discussing issues.  The detractors who show up seem to be making an effort to disrupt discussion and drown out the NOM people.  Is this where issue discussion goes these days?  For that matter, when's the last time you heard of an actual political candidate debate in which the candidates argued the merits of their positions, cross-examined one another, and then were graded by a debate judge or a panel of debate judges to see who won on the merits of the case and the argument?

I fear that genuine discussion is dying.  This saddens me.  If we simply yell at or speak past one another any truth in the alleged discussion is lost.  So here's a challenge.  Get together and talk.  Talk about something.  Talk about nothing in particular.  But talk.  With each other, not past each other.

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Dave Spotts
blogging at http://capnsaltyslongvoyage.blogger.com