As reported on PBS NewsHour, Michael Gerson said this referring to Donald Trump “Michael Gerson: We’re dealing with a man that’s not qualified for the presidency, not qualified morally, because he picks on minority groups, not qualified temperamentally. “
Beautiful. First and foremost, I love to read you column. You do an amazing job of keeping it politically neutral. But there’s been a few comments here and there that tell me that if you and I sat down face to face and discussed politics, we would not be on the same side.
That being said, and knowing that, keeps me coming back. I think the biggest problem our country is facing is the fact that “the other side is dead wrong, and will destroy this country”. Democratic or Republican, the vast majority feel this way.
My favorite times are with friends politically opposite that can compose a coherent thought from their “side” and present it and discuss it and we walk away still friends. I have very few of those. And very few of those that are on “my side” of the political spectrum.
Thank you for keeping it neutral, but also giving me insight to the “other side”. You do an amazing job!
"find the nuggets of humanity we all have in common."
This may be one of the most beautiful phrases that I have read in a very long time. Many wonder how/why I go to xxxx "women's group" meetings. When I am there, these women presuppose that I am one of them, and they are absolutely correct. I am a woman. I get to see how their being a woman informs their ideology as well as how their ideology informs their being a woman.
Many times people from my "side" communicate in such a way that no rational or kind person could possibly find any merit in what they say. I miss convicted civility in communication.
Please continue to be circumspect in your life journey, continue to read all sides of an issue, remembering that we all run information through our life filters.
I read this main article and even as my eyes widened, I found myself saying, “Yup…I knew that about Bill.”
I see you adjust yourself in your seat on your interviews and I can imagine you doing the same thing as you utter that “OMG…but hold on a minute…” comment. Lol
This is what I love so much about you, Bill, and this incredible place you’ve built here. The quest for knowledge…true knowledge, is more important than the need to be “right”. The sharing, the hearing and the openness trumps the stance.
OhMyGoodness...thank you, thank you. 🧡 May you influence spread far and wide that others may learn such thinking skill from one who is a true master. Mercy me.....
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette strikers in Pennsylvania are planning a protest outside the wedding reception of the newspaper’s owner amid an ongoing strike against allegedly unfair labor practices under his leadership. John Block, the owner of print and broadcast media company Block Communications Inc., is planning to celebrate his wedding on Saturday at the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh but could face a sea of strikers after union members began pushing for a “crowd” to gather outside his nuptials after-party. (The Hill)
NOT ok. I don't know what the list of "unfair labor practices" are but it's never ok to disrupt a wedding, funeral or other religious event in the name of business. That would make me stop listening to them immediately.
Each of us is conceived with a seed of mortality that can’t be surgically removed. It grows until it kills us, hopefully after a long life that honors the incredible, temporary privilege of living.
I, too, find columns/radio/satellite broadcasts interesting. Why? Dunno. Interests me to see what "the other side" says/thinks, I suppose. Sometimes I find myself really getting into the topics. Other times - with a "hmmph" or a "bah" I'll turn the channel/page. Loved the last impression you left today!
I do try to read “the other side”. It is important for me to, try at least, to understand the opposite point of view from a perspective of understand the motivation. I may not agree, but it strikes me that in order to formulate my own viewpoint/argument, I need to understand the motivation of the other side.
Hi Bill. Your Friday’s newsletter hit the ball out of the park(to sound trite). It’s subject and relevance I realized probably had more to do with my age than anything else, but still, what you had to say about Death making most things pretty insignificant to reasonable people spoke to me.
It’s pretty easy to read or discuss opposite points of view from those who don’t scream their side of things at you. We’ve gotten away from this(amicable discussions), IMO, since Newton Leroy Gingrich brought his mighty megaphone to the House of Representatives about the time of Bill Clinton’s election. Up until then, he’d been pretty quiet. Now though he seemed to take eternal joy in shouting down, blowing off or inventing ways of just being obnoxious to anyone, regardless of party, who dared disagree with some of the more asinine stands he took. And Newt being Newt, took extra delight in stoking the fires of Hell against Bill Clinton all for getting a BJ in the Oval Office while he, Gingrich, was diddling GF #3. According to Wikipedia, “Political scientists have credited Gingrich with playing a key role in undermining democratic norms in the United States and hastening political polarization and partisanship”. Wiki has a lot more info on this piece of political work, but I digress.
So agreeable people can disagree amicably, as your words reflect. You cited Michael Gerson who was speechwriter for Geo. W. Bush and I’m betting you didn’t look too kindly on his speeches or political persuasion? But you cited his words anyway because he had humanized himself by writing about his issue with depression and later, a cancer diagnosis. That’s what it’s going to take more of. Lowering our defenses some and looking for the humanity in the words. Writing can be less strident when read with an open mind. Thank you for pointing this out. I needed to read it.
Good for Starbucks and the Pittsburg Post Gazette striking workers! Good for them and good luck in their endeavors.
As reported on PBS NewsHour, Michael Gerson said this referring to Donald Trump “Michael Gerson: We’re dealing with a man that’s not qualified for the presidency, not qualified morally, because he picks on minority groups, not qualified temperamentally. “
Beautiful. First and foremost, I love to read you column. You do an amazing job of keeping it politically neutral. But there’s been a few comments here and there that tell me that if you and I sat down face to face and discussed politics, we would not be on the same side.
That being said, and knowing that, keeps me coming back. I think the biggest problem our country is facing is the fact that “the other side is dead wrong, and will destroy this country”. Democratic or Republican, the vast majority feel this way.
My favorite times are with friends politically opposite that can compose a coherent thought from their “side” and present it and discuss it and we walk away still friends. I have very few of those. And very few of those that are on “my side” of the political spectrum.
Thank you for keeping it neutral, but also giving me insight to the “other side”. You do an amazing job!
Another great read to end the week and total cuteness overload!!! Have a great weekend everyone :)
"find the nuggets of humanity we all have in common."
This may be one of the most beautiful phrases that I have read in a very long time. Many wonder how/why I go to xxxx "women's group" meetings. When I am there, these women presuppose that I am one of them, and they are absolutely correct. I am a woman. I get to see how their being a woman informs their ideology as well as how their ideology informs their being a woman.
Many times people from my "side" communicate in such a way that no rational or kind person could possibly find any merit in what they say. I miss convicted civility in communication.
Please continue to be circumspect in your life journey, continue to read all sides of an issue, remembering that we all run information through our life filters.
I gotta say Bill, I’m loving the “cute” tweets from 7 other things 🥰
I read this main article and even as my eyes widened, I found myself saying, “Yup…I knew that about Bill.”
I see you adjust yourself in your seat on your interviews and I can imagine you doing the same thing as you utter that “OMG…but hold on a minute…” comment. Lol
This is what I love so much about you, Bill, and this incredible place you’ve built here. The quest for knowledge…true knowledge, is more important than the need to be “right”. The sharing, the hearing and the openness trumps the stance.
Damn, it’s SO REFRESHING.
I agree with you totally. You shared a list of writers that are gone. Are you comfortable sharing a list of who you read now?
OhMyGoodness...thank you, thank you. 🧡 May you influence spread far and wide that others may learn such thinking skill from one who is a true master. Mercy me.....
If only everyone sought out opinions other than their own. And it's never been easier and I don't really understand why people don't.
But the best part of the email was the tummy rubs. I needed that. Thank you.
• Pittsburgh Post-Gazette strikers in Pennsylvania are planning a protest outside the wedding reception of the newspaper’s owner amid an ongoing strike against allegedly unfair labor practices under his leadership. John Block, the owner of print and broadcast media company Block Communications Inc., is planning to celebrate his wedding on Saturday at the Duquesne Club in Pittsburgh but could face a sea of strikers after union members began pushing for a “crowd” to gather outside his nuptials after-party. (The Hill)
NOT ok. I don't know what the list of "unfair labor practices" are but it's never ok to disrupt a wedding, funeral or other religious event in the name of business. That would make me stop listening to them immediately.
Each of us is conceived with a seed of mortality that can’t be surgically removed. It grows until it kills us, hopefully after a long life that honors the incredible, temporary privilege of living.
Wow. I can understand why you read him.
I, too, find columns/radio/satellite broadcasts interesting. Why? Dunno. Interests me to see what "the other side" says/thinks, I suppose. Sometimes I find myself really getting into the topics. Other times - with a "hmmph" or a "bah" I'll turn the channel/page. Loved the last impression you left today!
I do try to read “the other side”. It is important for me to, try at least, to understand the opposite point of view from a perspective of understand the motivation. I may not agree, but it strikes me that in order to formulate my own viewpoint/argument, I need to understand the motivation of the other side.
Hi Bill. Your Friday’s newsletter hit the ball out of the park(to sound trite). It’s subject and relevance I realized probably had more to do with my age than anything else, but still, what you had to say about Death making most things pretty insignificant to reasonable people spoke to me.
It’s pretty easy to read or discuss opposite points of view from those who don’t scream their side of things at you. We’ve gotten away from this(amicable discussions), IMO, since Newton Leroy Gingrich brought his mighty megaphone to the House of Representatives about the time of Bill Clinton’s election. Up until then, he’d been pretty quiet. Now though he seemed to take eternal joy in shouting down, blowing off or inventing ways of just being obnoxious to anyone, regardless of party, who dared disagree with some of the more asinine stands he took. And Newt being Newt, took extra delight in stoking the fires of Hell against Bill Clinton all for getting a BJ in the Oval Office while he, Gingrich, was diddling GF #3. According to Wikipedia, “Political scientists have credited Gingrich with playing a key role in undermining democratic norms in the United States and hastening political polarization and partisanship”. Wiki has a lot more info on this piece of political work, but I digress.
So agreeable people can disagree amicably, as your words reflect. You cited Michael Gerson who was speechwriter for Geo. W. Bush and I’m betting you didn’t look too kindly on his speeches or political persuasion? But you cited his words anyway because he had humanized himself by writing about his issue with depression and later, a cancer diagnosis. That’s what it’s going to take more of. Lowering our defenses some and looking for the humanity in the words. Writing can be less strident when read with an open mind. Thank you for pointing this out. I needed to read it.
Good for Starbucks and the Pittsburg Post Gazette striking workers! Good for them and good luck in their endeavors.
Texas is just plumb crazy!
Loved the itchy wallaby at the end of the 7.
Great edition as I think I’ve already indicated.