Democracy depends on preserving the rules of discourse

This week…we learn how the left hates women, the GOP is white supremacist, liberals are intolerant, the Republicans are liars, liberals are fascists, the right wants to ruin British health care… In short, business as usual. Some have recently argued that instead of trying to depolarize politics, we should fight fire with fire. I appreciate the impulse. But it assumes one side “winning” the game is more important than preserving the game itself…and ignores the possibility that destroying the game may be part of one side’s goal. The game of democracy depends on preserving the rules of discourse. Burning the (other guy’s) house down is tempting. But fire is not so easy to contain.

When reading these examples, check the above list and ask yourself: regardless of whether you agree or disagree, is this really advancing an intelligent resolution through the persuasive, rational arguments of advocacy…or simply fueling the fire of conflict through the divisive, emotional manipulations of polarization?

Here are a few blue and red polarizing headlines from the past week.