Dating the 'Enemy'

"You can't date him, he's a DEMOCRAT," my friends gasped.

"You can't date her, she's a REPUBLICAN," his friends warned him.

After making public my relationship to a member of the opposite political party, the Democratic Party, there was an instant outcry among our friends and acquaintances.

This article's purpose is not to discuss our personal relationship, but to discuss an issue in which this relationship has brought to light: our society's militant and bitter sense of partisanship.

After discovering our relationship, people from both parties called and expressed their opinions on how it shouldn't be. Some even went as far as to refer to the member of the opposite party as "the enemy" and suggested that we stay as far away from "the other side" as possible.

These divisive attitudes are unfortunate and they stagnate true progress.

I have become well-known for my so-called radical right-wing statements, columns, and activism. Yet, if liberals would ever stop to think about why I fight so vigilantly for the things I believe in, they just might find that we share common ground.

I fight for conservative principles because I believe they are the best route to a free, prosperous, and healthy society.

Liberals fights for liberal principles because they believe they are the best route to a free, prosperous, and healthy society.

John F. Kennedy said, "I believe it is imperative that we worry less about what the Democratic thing to do is, or what the Republican thing to do is, and worry more about what the right thing to do is."

I agree with JFK.

There are too many important issues today, such as the Iraq war, drugs, energy, and education, which can benefit from bipartisanship.

However, when I encourage bipartisanship I don't not by any means propose that we should all agree on everything. In fact, I believe quite the opposite.

I am a firm believer that competition in the market always produces the best product. Thus it follows that a healthy degree of partisanship in the marketplace of ideas will produce the best political solutions.

Disagreement, debate, and competition are not what I have a problem with. What I have a problem with is uninformed judgment, close-mindedness, and hate.

I encourage both liberals and conservatives to start taking time out to try and understand those on the other side of the political spectrum. Because you never know, you may find a new friendship, or like me, a little more.