Refusing to understand ‘others’ leads to hate speech — on both sides

I fully understand why young Democrats are so upset with the Trump victory. Most have been through over 12 years of indoctrination where other points of view and intellectual diversity are frowned upon. They just can’t understand, identify with or comprehend any point of view outside their indoctrination bubble.

They are so close-minded that when they encounter an opinion different from theirs, they can only project their negative fears and attitudes onto the “others” while their hatred dehumanizes the “others” they won’t try to understand and seem eager to hate.

Saying “other” people are full of hate when you have no idea what motivates them replaces introspection and understanding and is what leads to hate speech.

Unless you can understand and argue the opposition’s point of view, you cannot legitimately have a strong opinion without being a bigot.

Lately, we see lots of hateful bigotry in America’s left; as they have no clue as to the “others’ ” actual beliefs and opinions, and lately, the left’s opinions are more anti-American than pro-American.

This story was originally published December 22, 2016 at 7:44 PM with the headline "Refusing to understand ‘others’ leads to hate speech — on both sides."