Your Side Only

In the modern world, there are conflicts and moral dilemmas to face day after day. News radio and television have become dedicated to debates about controversial topics ranging from taxes to abortion. With technology, more information is available to the public allowing for an increasing amount of citizens, young and old, to become involved in news. With these increasing numbers it becomes more important to understand the views of others, and be able to handle debates, and others, in a civil manner.
When arguing your point with others, it is important to be both learned in your view, as well as the view of your opponent. Knowing their side, may allow you to better understand the argument they are trying to make. Richard Nordqvist, an article writer for About.com, writes “invite ideas on both sides of each issue.” Understanding both sides of a topic allows you to better understand the reason behind your opponent. This keeps arguments civil, and mature, and giving you insight you may not have had before. Knowledge of both sides of a topic also allows you to become more informed on details that you previously argued against without second thought.
Knowing one half of a story not only hinders your ability to understand, but also hinders your ability to accept others. Years of growing up in one social setting, and in one geographical or cultural setting, can corrupt your view of others. Being raised in a Catholic family will give you a different view than a child raised in a Protestant family, and vice versa. A lifetime of wealth is vastly different than a lifetime of poverty, and both output a vastly different array of life experiences. The child born out of poverty breathes the same as the child born out of wealth, but they will behave and think differently than each other. These situations give birth to racial and social slurs, and often result in extreme intolerance for those not like you. Understand towards another person’s history and ethnic background allows that person to be accepted more easily.
The most famous example of both political intolerance and social intolerance is the Westboro Baptist Church. They have drastically altered views of homosexuality, preaching the death of soldiers as America’s punishment. The hatred felt for this group of people is almost a uniting feeling. Instead of feeling hate, the public needs to take the time to understand the congregations background. Westboro Baptist is a family, raised by a radical Baptist preacher. They have raised their kids with the belief that homosexuality is a horrible sin, and that America is doomed for allowing such a sin to continue. This isn’t much unlike what many other heavily religious families believe. The only difference to the children of Westboro, and the children of any other religious families, is the upbringing. The children of Westboro only hear what their parents and grandfather tell them. They are raised in hatred; and do not interact with other children. Typical religious families have children in public schools. These children, unlike Westboro’s, interact with different ethnic backgrounds and beliefs.
Being raised differently gives no one the right to hate another. Understanding the differences in people can help you interact better with other, and even befriend those with radically different views than yours. Seeing through eyes other than your own may show you a world you’ve never known, or knew could exist. Knowing one side to a story can often be misleading, so take the time to learn both sides. Understanding another person’s views and background can help lead the way to a peaceful nation, or even a peaceful world.