Time for another Wednesday morning thoughts blog. Dogs are walked and fed and I squeezed enough fuel in me to get through Stephanie Miller, a drive in A CAR and then off to get my “mind fix”. For the time being, the more pressing issues that afflict us in the world are literally and figuratively being washed out by hurricane induced flooding. I have been engaging in email debates regarding climate science with my father-in-law and have found myself having to come more towards the center on the topic – however steadfastly siding with the 97% that support man’s involvement in heating up the planet.

What has changed in these email debates on topics such as gun control, race, religion and the environment, is my attraction towards more civilized discourse. That, one need not cling so desperately to their given political agendas. There is too much at stake to just “wear the uniform” of the side which makes us more comfortable.

In any type of marriage there is compromise. This is a marriage of ideas and philosophies. One cannot just be happy to spout what they believe without thorough examination and then just be content to “sleep on the couch” when the other side disagrees.  Oh, and I wanted to thank Kirkland Energy Shot for the inspiration to type this morning

We are ,and can be, more complex than the way Liberals and Conservatives generally debate. The middle ground isn’t sexy waterfront property;. it’s more like a gray, windowless structure, made to shutout distractions such as how many “likes” we can get from our social media fans.

I am looking to forge an alliance with some friends with whom I may disagree more in order to pull me into the gray building to “do the work” that critical thinking requires. Suffice it to say, let’s have the courage to extend beyond our held beliefs on whatever topic and being willing to hear the other side.

-Carlos