Has anyone ever assumed your party? You know: Republican or Democrat, left or right, independent. Well, I was Life guarding and singing along to the music that was playing, and this was right before I was going off of my shift. When I am done I go into the locker room and one of the patrons had seen me singing and he says, “So you like that older music?” (Classic Rock is the name of the Pandora station we were listening). And engaging in small talk, as you do, I say “Yes, you know I like that you used to really be able to understand what artists were saying.” (Rap is too quick for me, my ears cannot listen that fast). Well, from that small engagement he assumes that I am Republican and he begins to curse out the democratic party and lefts in general.

My dear reader might be able to understand my predicament. I veer left in many of my political beliefs, but I am sitting here listening to him working him self up into a frenzy and cursing openly. Mind you I am hesitant to admit I am liberal as his wrath then might turn upon me. So I give very non-committal answers, try to calm him down, give some counter points to try to help him see both sides, and I escape as quickly as I can. But this gets me to thinking, is it any wonder we cannot get anything done politically? It is because we hate each other so much. The folks that many rights hate are the ultra left, which is a small portion of the population of liberals, and likewise the folks who many lefts have are the ultra right, which many conservatives are not. Rather many of us fall somewhere in the middle.

I had the unique opportunity of going to a very politically conservative high school, so I learned many of the beliefs of the right and why they hold them. But I also lived and worked in a community that was much more liberal. I saw first hand the benefits of welfare, and how honest hard working folks, working three part time jobs trying to provide for their families, really do need it.

I have had the privilege to see both sides of the spectrum and as such I can sympathize with both sides of the political spectrum. And not everyone has had this opportunity and if one has not experienced something it can be very hard to understand why folks don't share the same opinions as you. It makes perfect sense to you. But I can tell you that both sides have merits, and I urge us all to to try to meet others with compassion instead of hate. Wise words we have all heard and that we all need to freshen up on sometimes go as thus: Walk a mile in another person's shoes, then you can start to understand why they are doing what they are doing, and believe as the do. If we can all remember that think of what a world we could have. We might actually get some stuff done.