A Friendly Conversation
To the Editor:
Last week a few of us Democracy Thursday folks were holding political signs and waving American flags on the northwest corner of Chandler Park and a gentleman pulled his car over and waved for us to talk with him. He looked at the “Stop War” sign and asked if we are against Trump dropping bombs on Iran. I said yes. Then we agreed that Iran should never have a nuclear bomb. I said that Trump should have invited input and support from NATO and other democratic countries before he started dropping bombs. I reminded him that George W. Bush and George H.W. Bush did that before going to war in the Middle East. I said that we need an agreement with Iran not a war.
The gentleman said that President Trump is not a politician. I said he ran for political office and people voted for him. I asked for his definition of a politician and he said it's someone who lies. I told him I follow a nonpartisan agriculture news source and they quoted the speech the president gave to a group of farmers who were in the Oval Office with him. I told him everything the president said was a lie. I don't remember exactly what was said but I wish I told him that President Trump said American soybeans are being shipped to China in record amounts, which is not true. President Trump said that $12 billion in aid provided to farmers was paid from increased tariff revenue, but the money came from the congressionally approved Commodity Credit Corporation. He also lied about saving two million farms from extinction. All the farms in the U.S. total slightly less than two million. There were other falsehoods told in the Oval Office that day. I think President Trump is a politician by the gentleman’s definition.
We shared our experiences helping people with disabilities and agreed that people with disabilities should have every opportunity for equity and inclusion. I said everyone should have every opportunity for diversity, equity, and inclusion and my new friend said yes, but the U.S. went too far.
We smiled and shared our opinions. How about that? I didn’t change my mind and I expect my new friend did not change his mind. We agreed about some important things. I thanked him for stopping to talk. I am grateful to live in a country and a town where we can enjoy friendly debate and find common ground. Looking forward to more friendly conversations.
Ross Braun Macomb, Illinois
