Disagreements should not spark atrocious events

Dec. 13, 2008, will live in infamy for one woman, 28, of San Francisco, California. MSNBC/AP says she was “jumped by four men, taunted for being a lesbian, repeatedly raped and left naked outside an abandoned apartment building.”
According to Richmond Police Lt. Mark Gagan, the men commented that “they knew her sexual orientation.” She endured a 45-minute ordeal of violence and abuse.

People who act like deranged animals are cowards.

On Oct. 13, 2008, Jose Nunez, 37, was brutally assaulted while helping distribute Proposition 8 yard signs.

PRNewswire-USNewswire/COMTEX reported the assailant “yelled at Nunez accusingly, ‘What do you have against gays?’” Nunez replied he had nothing against gays, and he was punched in the left eye.

Nunez received 16 stitches under his eye and serious wounds to his face. Nunez had become an American citizen two months earlier and planned to vote for the first time in November.

I repeat, people who act like deranged animals are cowards.

Why do we do these things? A disagreement is not reason enough to be belligerent, much less violent. Some may say the Prop. 8 crowd is partly to blame for the first crime. Others will say “Pro-Gay” activism encouraged the second. Both of these conclusions may have some merit.

None of us can afford to assume that anyone is our enemy based only on disagreements. We must believe everyone desires a peaceful solution. We must assume the best intentions despite our variance. We must assume the opposing position has some basis in logic.

Compromise is required where desire and preference are strong elements. Otherwise we’re talking about verifiable facts and evidence. Polarization can’t be an option. I must believe there’s something important and valuable in your arguments, and vice versa.

If we can’t do this, we are doomed to failure and grief.

However, I refuse this conclusion. I prefer to believe we can discuss rather than cuss, scream, fight, injure, maim and kill.

We can find common ground for many problems, but it’ll take all of us.

David House
IU employee