Let's Talk About Conflict

I was just reading in our local paper about a radio show a guy in town is putting on called "Community Conversation ." He puts two local people together from completely opposite sides of an issue, and records each of their perspectives for 15 minutes with no interruptions. A point/counterpoint kind of thing. So this week he chose a woman who writes a column in our local paper (no, not me) whom he refers to as a "peacenik", and put her up against a local representative of the Minutemen- guys who've taken it upon themselves to bear arms and do some "proactive enforcement of our national security protections and our immigration legal code." The "debate" of sorts, would of course be about this huge issue of illegal immigration and whether or not a person can be illegal.

This "peacenik" just happens to be the same woman who read to us in the park on Mother's Day, (click here if you want to read more about it) and I really love her.

AND/BUT....

I also have some similar issues with border patrol as these, passionate, civil defense peeps.

Wow, I thought. This is going to be good! I couldn't wait to hear it, but then I read that it aired last Friday. Crap, I missed it. Then seriously, like 5 minutes later I see Joan, the peaceful columnist I was just reading about, across the street chatting with my neighbor. I jumped up and ran over there (barefoot and wearing my beloved tiara no less) and asked her all about it. I was all prepared for some good discussion, but that woman quietly and calmly taught me a pretty little lesson.

She prepared herself by getting educated on the issue, and learning as much as she could about the views of the opposition. Then she used her 15 minutes to discuss the things both parties agreed on. When she was finished, the guy from the other side actually came over and shook her hand. He'd been all prepared for a blow out war on the topic and had no rebuttal.

Beautiful.

So I saw and learned today that there are definitely peaceful ways to discuss hot issues, and there are ways we can all work together by simply beginning where we agree.

Or something like that. I can't quite explain how I felt when she finished her story, but she made me think.

I also learned today that a cop will pull over a speeding ambulance if the lights aren't on.

During the transfer of my grandma from one hospital to another, some bored cop had the balls to pull them over for speeding.