It’s true. I’ve had a crazy couple of days… I’ve had this manic energy while reworking my play about Achilles, and because of that I’ve ignored the outside world considerably. Yesterday I finished a new draft (it’s a beast with three acts and 127 pages) and I practically collapsed. I finished early in the day and couldn’t think straight after. Anyway… This post is not about theatre, so why don’t we get right down to it.
This post is about guns, everyone’s favorite topic right now. But it has nothing to do with the way I feel about them, or what I think should or shouldn’t be done in regards to gun laws. This post is about the way that we are all acting. Don’t get me wrong, practically every hot button issue there is brings this out, but to me it seems even more prevalent with the issue of gun control. I think we should stop treating one another like idiots. I’m guilty of this to, and I’ll admit it. But let’s be honest, people’s minds are not changed when the conversation starts, “Your ideas are stupid, listen to me because mine are better.”
Everyone sees the toxic political scene that is covered around the clock, people on both sides of the isle are playing the politics of everything instead of trying to make our country a better place, and we’re sick of it right? I’m sick of it, I know that. But we’re doing the same thing. When you post on facebook a picture calling all people who carry guns morons, or a picture saying that people who want less or no guns morons, we’re doing nothing but making it harder to have an actual debate about gun control.
If we want to talk about gun control in a way that people who think differently than us will listen, we need to come to the conversation with an open mind. Listen to other people’s point of view, and actually hear them. Think about what their lives are like, and what makes them believe the way that they do. Gather real information, and don’t dismiss facts that don’t align with your beliefs.
Like I said, I’ve done this all before, I’m as guilty as anyone. I know this. But I am making the choice to now be the change I want to see. I want the people in charge of the country to stop taking cheap shots at one another and I want them to stop showing up for debate knowing that their position will not change regardless of what the other side has to say. Let’s listen to one another, you may be surprised at what you hear.
Okay, that’s my two cents. Tomorrow it’ll be back to business as usual, I promise.