Teach Your Children

The Mitchells and Gates families, left and right (!), respectively (WSJ photo)

Finally..a rare election story that makes one hopeful about the future:

The Mitchells, lifelong Democrats, planted a Joe Biden sign in the front yard of their suburban Pittsburgh home. The Gateses, who live next door and are lifelong Republicans, put a Donald Trump sign in theirs.

Another homemade sign stands in each yard. It reads: “We (Heart) Them” with an arrow pointing to the other house. In the middle of each heart are the words “One Nation.”

The Mitchells and Gates

don’t argue. They don’t label each other. They listen to each other’s perspective, look for common ground and recognize that reasonable and good people can reach different conclusions.

“I think it boils down to respect,” says Chris [Mitchell]. “We have no desire or illusion that we are going to change them or each other’s minds.”

They also rarely bring up issues that are more divisive than others, like abortion.

The vast majority of Americans have to work with--and maybe live with---people who hold different political views. Both you and the person you're talking to have an infinitesimal effect on an election, so the heat of the argument is fueled by pride and about who has the superior morality.

Is it worth losing a friendship or having a loved one never speak to you again just to insist that you are right?

There's a lot of wisdom in the old advice to bite your tongue, never discuss politics or religion, and count to ten before responding in anger, especially if the fight is over something that neither of you can control.

Pax vobiscum.