Opinions abound

Cindy Sheehan, the mother of a soldier killed in Iraq, said she had questions to ask the President about the Iraqi war and was going to camp out by his Texas ranch until he came out and answered them. It seemed to me that she really didn’t have questions; she had opinions – strong ones – and wanted a chance to express them in a very public format. And I think that’s fine – but why try to disguise it? “Questions” suggest that a dialogue might take place or that learning could result. Cindy Sheehan wasn’t asking questions. She didn't care about answers. She was demanding action.

In the political world we don’t seem to do questions and answers any more. We think we already HAVE the answers. We have our opinions, and we just want someone to listen to us and change their behaviors or decisions – retroactively, no less – to match what we think they should have done. And we don’t especially want to listen to the opinions THEY have in turn. So what did we all base our opinions on in the first place?

Opinions abound in our political world, but real discourse - the desired starting point for opinion-forming - is elusive. It’s too hard; too uncomfortable; too time-consuming. We feel too impotent. We’ll be ridiculed for our arguments. Worse still, we could be accused of being politically incorrect, a tactic that has effectively gagged political discussion in this country for years. We’re racists if we talk about immigration or crime; we’re accused of anti-Semitism if we question Middle East peace; we’re just “stupid” if we aren’t liberals or “immoral” if we aren’t conservatives.

I have a good mind. I know I do. I’m smart. But I am so conditioned to stay out of the argument that I find I can’t – or simply won’t – apply my intellect to ideas and solutions in the political conflict. Question: Why is that? Answer: Who would listen?

The national media simply try to pretend that people are engaging in debate by conducting and reporting single-item polls with leading questions, or televising “man on the street” interviews with imbeciles, or quoting some Celebrity with a questionable IQ, a doubtful education and a sound-bite opinion that we are somehow supposed to find meaningful. This sort of thing doesn't inform us. It isn't thought provoking or even concept oriented. It is designed to generate a gut reaction of agreement so we can move on to sports or Jerry Seinfeld reruns.

We have a lot of “answers” but they sure don’t seem to be based on much. And we sure seem to be in a mess as a result.