Progressives Learning to Understand Conservatives

Step one in repairing our nation from its political wars one with another is listening-to-learn the other side well enough at least to appreciate the other person. Not for the sake of changing one’s mind, but the purpose of civility. It works both ways, but this progressive woman has nine big lessons from her own attempts to listen-to-learn:

Emma Witman did just that and here are her lessons:

#1: I shot a gun for the first time in small-town Georgia — and realized why guns are such an emotional issue for conservatives.

#2: You won’t change anyone’s mind on Obamacare, but there’s curious wiggle room when it comes to the state’s role in healthcare.

#3: Speaking of Obamacare, businesses in my conservative town weren’t afraid to broadcast their views on it in public.

#4: Much of the South is more diverse and integrated than wealthy liberal places.
Judges say things from the bench that would never fly in more liberal ZIP codes.

#5: Politicians are far more likely to be everyday working people, not professional politicians — not because they’re conservative, but because of local rules.

#6: Being pro-life is way more of an emotional stance than liberals may grasp.

#7: Confederate worship is real in the small-town South. But not always in the ways you might expect.
#8: The idea of actually wanting to go on a trip to a big city was often met with confusion and mockery.
#9: Finally, I learned this: Conservatives hate the media everywhere. Even their local media.