Have you noticed that as some people; get older they become more conservative both fiscally and socially? I had not noticed that trend among my friends until recently. We had lunch with a friend who is about 8 years older than my group. He was always right of center in some of his views, but I respected him and his work, and when we were younger, we had some spirited discussions; we listened to each other and agreed to disagree if we could not see common ground.
As I listened to our current discussions about crime, the police, drug use, minorities, homelessness and other social issues, I realized that he and my friends and I were not on the same page on some issues and not even in the same book on others. On some issues, we saw the same problems and the same solutions. It surprised me they had such different opinions. They had continued their move to the right, and I was always on the left and I think that I still stay to the left on some issues. But maybe I have moved slightly to the right so I am closer to the center on some issues we talked about.
My friend talked about a man he had known for 53 years who was an NRA member. When my friend who is, like many of us, in favour of gun licencing and registration, started a conversation, his friend of 53 years said to him in an email. “I see that you and I cannot agree on the ownership of guns and gun regulations. Do not contact me again. You are no longer my friend.”
I may disagree with the positions my friends take, but I still listen to their positions as they listen to mine. We may not always agree, but that makes life interesting.
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