A Nation Divided

Interesting piece in the NY Times today (free registration required) that shows how divided our nation has become.

No military conflict in modern times has divided Americans on partisan lines more than the war in Iraq, scholars and pollsters say — not even Vietnam. And those divisions are likely to intensify in what is expected to be a contentious fall election campaign.

Three-fourths of the Republicans, for example, said the United States did the right thing in taking military action against Iraq, while just 24 percent of the Democrats did. Independents split down the middle.

The Vietnam War caused a wrenching debate that echoes to this day and shaped both parties, but at the time, public opinion did not divide so starkly on party lines, experts say. The partisan divide on Iraq has fluctuated but endured across two intensely fought campaigns in which war and peace — and the overarching campaign against terrorism — have figured heavily.

This war has split the nation badly. I have expressed my feelings without reservation. So have many other Americans with the exact opposite view. Nothing wrong with that.

My concern is not with the division, or with people expressing their support or opposition, but with the lack of listening and with the 'spin.'

First, right now we live in what has been called an 'argument culture.' Look at Crossfire or Hannity & Colmes and you see too much of America- argue from talking points, attack your opposition, and never concede anything. No listening at all.

Secondly, so much of the dialogue is incomplete- using only the facts that support one's argument while ignoring the rest.

I don't think we're going to find our way with that sort of 'discussion.'

We're at an interesting place historically. As the last presidential election showed, we've never truly overcome Vietnam. At times during the Bush/Kerry election you could not tell that we had been out of Vietnam for 30 years. If we continue to be an argument culture, we may have no greater success overcoming the war in Iraq.

GP