Unite or Die

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Whenever there is more than one person in a room, disagreements can and will occur. This is human nature and a vital part of the development of ideas. If no one had ever argued against the flatness of the earth, Columbus wouldn’t have sailed.

Disagreements and arguments conducted in a civil manner are both healthy and productive. However, they can deteriorate into hate and malice when we stop discussing principles and move into the mire of assuming the personal feelings and attitudes of others.
Let me explain.
The North Carolina’s HB 2, more commonly known as the “bathroom law”, has become a very hot button issue the last couple weeks. The N.C. law states that if your birth certificate says you are a man (biologically) then you must use the men’s restroom. And the same thing goes for women.
If we discuss the principles of the matter, we find that:
-It makes logical sense for men to use the men’s room, and women the women’s room.
-Allowing anyone into any restroom opens the door for predators and provides a legal backdoor for defense of their actions.
-The N.C. law applies only to state schools and government entities.
-North Carolina is protecting the individual liberties by leaving “bathroom policy authority” in the hands of individual businesses (The law specifies that businesses such as Target are free to create any kind of bathroom they want).
-If one properly understands the concept, no discrimination is taking place.
Those are the principles of the matter. And we can have a legitimate argument about those principles.

However, when you fall into the mire of assuming the personal feelings and attitudes of others, we find that:
-Unless people are allowed to use any bathroom they want, they are being discriminated against.
-Discrimination is a form of hate.
-If you discriminate against someone you are a hate-monger and a horrible person.
-Individual businesses are not capable or responsible enough to make their own decisions concerning this issue and need government to make the decision for them.
On these points, we cannot have a legitimate argument because the premises are subjective and based on feelings and emotions. If a person attempts to argue these points, a civil discussion will quickly deteriorate into hate and malice.
The end result is that an enemy has been made, and neither side is swayed in the least. In fact, their position has probably become even more solidified.
However, if we are able to argue about principles, we will see people begin to think. Ideas and beliefs being challenged causes a cycle to start:
-You have an idea.
-Your idea gets challenged.
-In order to defend your idea, you must be able to back it up with examples and proof.
-This results in study and research, thinking and searching.
-If the idea is valid, it will stand up to the challenge. If it is not valid, it will fall apart and a new idea must be formed.
Lies will seek to silence any challenge or argument. Lies will cry “Hate speech!”, shout you down, attempt to quell any and all dissent, and pass laws restricting your right to speak your mind.
Truth does not fear the light. Truth does not fear challenges or discussion. Truth is the sister of freedom. Truth’s desire is that everyone should know as much as possible and then draw their own conclusion and make their own decision based on that knowledge.
We cannot say that America is more divided than ever. But we can say that she is more divided than she should be. In this time of a divided national soul, we must ask the question - what can we unite around?
What are the common principles upon which we can all agree?
I believe there are many. I believe that there is more that unites us as Americans than we are able to recognize. I believe that it all starts with Truth.
We must be willing to stop and ask ourselves:
-Is what I believe based in truth, or just what feels good?
-Am I willing to challenge my beliefs and take the pains necessary to seek out answers?
These are hard questions, and often the answers are painful, but if we will answer them honestly, America will not be divided.
We will still argue. We will still debate and disagree. But we will be united. United in the search for Truth. United in the belief that “We must all hang together, or assuredly we shall all hang separately.” ~Benjamin Franklin
For Truth,
painefultruth1776@gmail.com

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