I was reading one of my favorite blogs today, and something possessed me to go down and read the comments. I don't usually do this. Not because I don't care what other people have to say, but because I usually am functioning on limited time. Imagine!
Today I wish I had avoided reading those comments. Well, then again, maybe I am actually glad I did so, because it brought sometime to mind that has been bothering me for quite some time. If you read blogs or turn to the Internet for quick updates from your local news station you are going to be exposed to comments. Having a forum for dialogue is a good thing. It SHOULD be a good thing. Sadly, these forums aren't. I think it has something to do with the fact that you have anonymity. That's really not an excuse though. Not for what I see.
What I am seeing is a total decent into rudeness. Civility has taken a backseat to belittling those who do not share our views or dogma. Many of these comments bypass rudeness entirely, descending straight into hateful, spiteful, and judgmental attacks. It's beyond sad. It's beyond embarrassing. It's shameful and hypocritical (to say the very least). "You don't believe as I do - so you are, therefore, a bad person, an idiot, and I hate you." Ewwww.
My query is this, "Why are so many Americans in attack mode all the time?" Why is it so impossible for some to agree to disagree? We can't just disagree anymore. We have to attack those who disagree with us. We can't just say "I feel differently about this ... and these are my reasons." Instead, we attack others with hateful words questioning their morals, beliefs, intelligence, background, and even their right to share space on the same planet as us. Freedom of speech has become the freedom to be nasty and abusive, the freedom to demean and belittle, the freedom to vent prejudices and ugliness that should cause us to hang our heads in shame.
These attacks vary in virulence, but they are still attacks. I am curious as to why. Do we feel THAT threatened by the opposing beliefs of others? Have we become so narrow that we cannot accept that those we share this planet with do not necessarily share the same opinions and beliefs? Have we drifted so far from the ideals and aspirations that led to the founding of this country? It bothers me, and it has been much on my mind as of late.
We've all seen Americans do incredible things in the face of disasters. It brings out the very best in us. We reach out to one another. We act on our most noble proclivities. It's tragic that it takes a disaster for us to become the people we should be. Imagine the impact this country would have if we behaved in "disaster mode" without a disaster? It would be something truly amazing.
I suppose this post is an appeal for us to respond to one another with civility and respect. Is that really asking so much?
Here's a case in point. Yesterday our outdoor section ran a feature article in which the author decried some hunters publishing a photo of a wolf they had trapped.
thttp://www.postregister.com/story.php?accnum=1083-04052012&today=2012-04-05&keywords=wolf+trapping
The photo was horrifying. The author complained that the photo was going viral, and that it would be used by environmentalists in their arguments against trapping. That was his protest. It makes trapping look bad.
Wolves are a hot button issue in our region. Tempers flare, and people on both sides get ugly. It gets us nowhere. I'll admit that my blood pressure rose and I was upset by this. I could blow up and go postal on anyone who disagrees with me. And this would accomplish ... what? Absolutely nothing. We would just end up more polarized than before. Instead, here's a reaction that I think would be more in line with what I've been talking about in this post.
We've all grown up with Disney's version of animals and nature. We are ingrained to view the natural world interpreted through personification. We apply human attributes and qualities to our natural world. Our natural world is not subject to Disney's Law though, it follows nature's law. An animal behaves a certain way because instinct has wired it to do so. It is neither "good" nor "evil." It is just instinct. A carnivore kills other animals to survive. It is neither cruel nor kind. It merely act on its instinct. Mankind is the only animal which acts on moral principles and choice as opposed to instinct. That places a higher expectation on us as a species. We have become the stewards of our natural world. We, more than any other species, have the power to impact our environment on a large scale. It is a power that demands responsibility.
We all approach this issue from different places. Rancher, hunter, environmentalist, and the average Joe all have opinions. This photo seems to have upset many people, and for many different reasons. Perhaps we should ask, "Is this offensive because it was photographed and exploited (by both sides), or is it offensive because we are responding to the trapping itself? We all have different views. Some wish for the complete eradication of wolves. Some preach coexistence. There are as many points of view as there are people.
Our task, as humans, is perhaps to find some common ground that is reasonably acceptable to the greatest number of people. Are there other forms of control that would not be seen as so cruel? Are there measures we could take to control wolf pack territories? Are there protections which could be put in place for areas which border those territories? Are there more humane alternatives to population control? Have we looked into alternative measures - be it spaying and neutering of pack members, use of herd dogs to protect herds, electronic barriers, etc.?
Perhaps this photo is a signal to all of us that we need to come back to the table and share solutions that exist in the middle ground. We need to approach this issue in a spirit of compromise and respect for views which differ from our own. Let's set aside trying to prove that our opinion is right and everyone else is wrong. Instead, let us objectively look at this problem and find a solution that we all can live with.
Compromise and respect for the beliefs of others. It used to be something Americans prided themselves on. Is it something we've rejected, or have we merely forgotten how to do so?
