GREENSBORO, N.C. — Covering the North Carolina Republican Convention all weekend one thing was clear: both political parties want the same things at their core. To afford to live a good life, a chance for their kids to grow up and prosper, and a safe neighborhood for their family.
How Republicans and Democrats want to go about achieving these goals can be very different. But at the heart of the issue: there are a lot of commonalities. That means there is a lot of room to work together.
However, what was also clear this weekend: both parties are full of so much divisive language that it's hard to see the other side wants the same things. At the convention there were t-shirts, bumper stickers, and hats with curse words about Democrats. And with every story I'd post, there were Democrats responding on social media with curse words about Republicans.
This is not a productive way to live.
The Carnegie Endowment for International Peace did a study. Out of 52 times democracies reached the level of political polarization we're at now, 26 of them became less democratic. That's half!
To help America beat those odds, it starts with each one of us. We must find a way to open our hearts to the other side. Whether that's finding one friend who's of the opposite political party. Or taking the time to watch an opposing politician's speech online. Or Heaven forbid, what's a little of the other side's cable news network.
The researchers from Carnegie ended their findings with this statement:
"Reducing the threat of polarization to democracy requires deliberate, urgent action. Or, as this research suggests, American democracy itself may cease to be."
I love this country. I know you do too. We must act now to find a way to work together.
