Divisions

I read a Facebook posting and running comments the other day. The topic was who Joe Biden’s running mate should be. Seemed most favored Kamala Harris. The discussion quickly turned into stories on how camps in the Biden campaign were shutting out Kamala in favor of someone else, and how tacky that was.

I stepped in with a comment that selecting a running mate is Biden’s decision alone and picking a fight with others over this point would be divisive. My point: we should all be aiming to remove the current White House incumbent. Let Biden do his job, support him, and beat trump in November.

Well! You would think I was the Ogre of the Year! Who was I do shut down debate? What kind of old white man power group was I representing? And so the comments progressed down to the sewer.

This, folks, is the power of division within our own society. A person cannot have an opinion without others taking offense. Debate is one thing, argument is another. Discussion sharing ideas freely without harsh judgment is yet another. The latter is preferred I think however, I’d likely hear opposition to that.

I Have long held that debate is divisive. It is all about winning points and not about cogent, accurate thinking. Debate is also about winning. How that is done is rarely examined. The damage done is evident.

I prefer a calm, clear discussion of an issue with its surrounding points to best understand both the issue and its ramifications. Creating animosity is pointless unless the aim is to disrupt and confuse the issue. Emotions follow and resentment from that is another, long lasting result. Damage is done. Logic and calm is lost.

Biden’s running mate needs to be an experienced person in governance at the highest levels, clearly someone with credentials and expertise in foreign affairs, or economic policy, public policy or legislative dueling. I prefer a woman for this role. I also prefer someone of color. Kamala Harris fits the bill. But so does Susan Rice and others under consideration.

My preference is Susan Rice, but I will support anyone Joe chooses. After all, the point of Joe Biden is his willingness to do battle with trump in November. The winner of that contest is the result we should be focused on.

August 3, 2020