Forgiveness and Fight

This week… is the week before Christmas. And it is the week that Darkest Hour, the movie about Winston Churchill, rolls out across the country. They (Christmas and Churchill) embody two spirits: forgiveness and fight. Politics these days is heavily tilted toward fight as the clips below amply demonstrate. But why? Our hearts soar when Winnie intones “we will fight them in streets.” But he was rallying the nation against an enemy that was evil itself. Today, our “leaders”—in the press, Congress and White House—blithely use over-the-top fighting rhetoric to try and ignite that kind of Churchillian fire. But is that really appropriate and responsible? Are the Democrats/Republicans really that kind of enemy? Some may feel so. But is that because of the true wickedness of the opposition…or more because of the seductive power of the polarizers’ enflammatory propaganda? As much as I love and admire him, I think we need a little less Churchill, and a little more Christmas. Because, although we have serious differences, we are not at war with each other. Yet.

This is also the week of the famous Christmas Truce of WWI, where French, German and British soldiers laid down their arms and emerged from their trenches to exchange season’s greetings and talk. In honor of that shining “common-ground” moment, I will be leaving the trench to take next week off.

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 some of the week’s most polarizing articles, from the left and right: