Two people who held (and one who still hold) a great deal of influence over the political and social landscape of the United States have inspired me to view disagreements with others the way they did: with respect.

Supreme Court Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia (now deceased) were on opposite ends of the political spectrum and made it no secret. Justice Scalia was a staunch conservative and Justice Ginsburg a hardline liberal. Justice Scalia was Catholic and Justice Ginsburg is Jewish. Both had different legal and social philosophies and rarely found themselves on the same side of an opinion. So, how was it that in Justice Ginsburg’s tribute to Justice Scalia, she described them as “best buddies?”

The "Best Buddies" Starring In An Opera.

Justices Scalia and Ginsburg first knew each other from working together on a circuit court before they were each appointed to the Supreme Court. They were the best of friends and truly had a special friendship that was built on what they had in common rather than their differences. They both had a great love for Opera, and even starred together in one in the mid-90s. When New Year's rolled around, the Scalia and Ginsburg families could be found having dinner and celebrating together. Justices Scalia and Ginsburg even vacationed together, and there is a memorable photograph of them riding an elephant in India.

Scalia (left) and Ginsburg (right)

Respect

What really impressed me is how lightly they were able to take disagreements. Because the two Justices were able to respect each other’s opinion and agree to disagree, they were able to have a wonderful friendship. Disagreement does not have to mean hatred of the person who you don’t see eye to eye with, especially if you have a lot in common. Respect of each other’s views should mean that both parties are acknowledging that the other is worthy of thinking for themselves and genuinely expressing what they believe. In fact, this is an example of what is called free speech and is a Constitutional right that has to be respected, and both Justices realized that. They knew that ideology is only one aspect of a person and that they were so much more than an ideology. They were co-workers, friends and opera lovers, and in the end, that’s all that mattered. Disagreeing is perfectly normal and is even productive in debate and discussion and it can be handled, as they have proven, with dignity and respect of both parties.

Where has this gone?

In all honesty, I’m not sure why our culture today has lost this concept of respect for people that we disagree politically with, but it’s for sure missing. It could be because of the rhetoric of politicians always at each other’s throats, the lack of compromise or some other reason. It doesn’t matter why, as much as it matters that it be fixed. This lack of respect has led to people demonizing and automatically hating one another when this is totally unneeded. We need to talk about what we have in common just as much as we talk about what we don’t. We need to view each other as people, not ideas and ideologies. Justices Scalia and Ginsburg realized this and if more people could too, we would live in a much happier and friendlier place built on agreement and mutual respect rather than demonization and hatred.