TO THE EDITOR:
In response to John Moore's column, "Going out on a Limb," Sunday, November 15, 2020
Mr. Moore's commentary, while quaint on the surface, is in fact dangerous. Not discussing politics and religion is how societal divisions have been created, allowed to fester and have erupted. Having robust, honest and transparent exchanges of ideas on those foundational topics helps one to gain critical thinking skills, understand their place in their immediate circle and their place in the broader society.
Along the way, adults have chosen to stay in their homogeneous bubbles, dispute clear truths, and violently slap away an outreached hand of camaraderie. Adults now rely on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Parler to confirm a small world view and for their news instead of the front page of the local paper. We don't know how or where to find unbiased information. Our children and future suffer when civic discourse becomes coarse, uncivil and nonexistent.
Mr. Moore's opinion follows a rose-colored glasses, 1950s idyllic way of thinking, dismissing the fact that life and people are complicated, have different life experiences and those experiences have value. Hiding behind a superficial facade does himself and us no good.
Tough conversations with others and within ourselves is growth. Tough conversations are the way forward to course-correct the fissures within our immediate and extended families.
Sylvia C. Brown
Fulton, Arkansas