Liberal Media . . . War on Women . . . Enough is Enough.

The main problem with the political climate today is that everyone demonizes the other side. If we try to respect each other and understand people whose thoughts, opinions, and convictions differ from ours, we do not demonize. I call especially on those who call themselves followers of Christ, particularly in the public square, you need to say enough is enough: you may not agree with someone; but that does not give you the license to demonize them, to put them down. You can criticize someone's beliefs without criticizing them.

This problem, then, bleeds into society. Whether we like it or even realize it, we take our cues from those that we see in the news, in the media, particularly on political issues. Many times, we give in to their sweeping remarks about the other side, whether it's the "liberal media," or a "war on women," or "secular humanists," or "religious fundamentalists." Let's look at the issues and not lump everyone who disagrees with me into a phrase that I can pounce upon.

Take the above examples. Are all members of the media so-called "liberal?" Are people who believe contraception should not be included in the health care bill trying to make a war on women? Are people who believe in equal rights for all people somehow non-religious? Are people who believe that church and state should not be separate the same on all issues? Of course not to each of these examples! If we demonize, it makes it easier for us to dismiss someone who disagrees with us and their ideas.

Politics today suffer from the twenty-four hour news media and from being continually obsessed with re-election. In the midst of this, we should demand more from our politicians. We should demand that they stick to the issues, not the other side. We should demand that they actually listen to politicians on differing sides of issues and work together to compromise, rather than always throwing their hands up and walking away when they cannot get a majority to agree with them. By doing so, we would create a better political climate. And, I believe, we would be better off ourselves.