Guess what: I might be wrong.
I know, I know, such a statement is anathema in our modern political climate. We live in an era of strident opposition, an era in which ideological purity is considered a virtue, an era in which accepting the notion that you might be on the wrong side of a political issue is greeted with scorn.
You sensed all that, of course, but just in case there were some doubts, a new Pew Research Center report has arrived to lay them to rest. A survey about the political beliefs of more than 10,000 adults from across the country has confirmed what we already thought — we hate each other. Or at least those on the other side of the political fence. Or at least those who disagree with us because, you know, they are wrong.
Oh, hate might be too strong of a word. But consider this finding from Pew: 27 percent of Democrats and 36 percent of Republicans say positions taken by the other party are a “threat to the nation’s well-being.” Seriously. Many of us are so insulated in our ideological beliefs that we fear the other side is actually a danger to the country.
Which, if you think about it, doesn’t say much for our belief in this nation or her people or the sturdiness of our political system. If you fear that a particular political ideology is a threat to this country, then ye of little faith.