I once had a conversation with someone about their hate for the political opposition. I told him that those you call enemy are often your brothers, sisters, and neighbors. They wish you no harm, they only believe differently. Are there bad people in government on the left and right? Of course there are. There are those who will do anything to have their way.
Sometimes it's easy to see only left/right with no gray. We are all a mixture of many beliefs. Often we seek those who best echo our own beliefs and run away those who think differently. I love talking to people from the extreme left because I can learn how they think – why they believe the things they do. Too often it is those on the right who share many of my beliefs that I find the most mystifying. They protest in the name of liberty one day and the next the same people are calling gays and transgendered vile names. I try to understand they are living under the delusion of a religion that supports that hatred. While the Christians who hate aren't a majority, there are too many that do and make some fear for their lives. The Christian way should be to protect those in danger from the hatred of of their brothers and sisters.
As someone on the libertarian right I have one goal only, and that is less government in our lives. Many on the right seem to place that second as they apparently want society to conform to their brand of morality. Many Conservatives fight for their brand of morality while condemning those like me with more libertarian beliefs.
No one will ever be 100% correct on all issues. We exist to learn and evolve our thinking. It is when our thinking becomes stagnant that we begin to hate. It often takes great inner strength to not have prejudices and to hold no hate for others. In the past two years I have been hurt deeply, while some I have forgiven and some I haven't. Those for whom I can't find the strength to forgive I simply don't think about them and have faith that karma will be their judge.
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