Though a conservative, I read liberal points of view. I do so for two reasons.
One, their views help me refine my own.
The second reason is that I owe it to “the other side” to be able to fairly and accurately characterize their position on an issue with which I take exception. Not to do so and then try to argue against that liberal position is dishonest, unfair, and unthinking.
Sometimes some liberal op-ed writers make an awful lot of sense, sometimes not. I can say the very same thing for those on the right. One of my favorite writers on the left is Susan Estrich. I read her with an almost religious fervor. I don’t always agree with her arguments. But, when I do it is because she did one thing most backbiting pundits, screed generating Bloggers, and most everyone on the planet refuse to do: THINK.
The older I become the more convinced I am that critical thinking skills are what is lacking in the hearts and minds of Americans. I include those with little education to a lot of those with so-called educations. I wonder, if asked, could average Americans explain how to think critically about an issue? Could they articulate the...