This article is liberal commentary.
Probably not.
It’s a lovely idea, but human beings have never gotten along, and probably never will. We’re more likely to eventually blow ourselves up.
People don’t want to get along. We’ve sorted ourselves into tribes, and people want to fight.
I sort of understand conservatives, and while I don’t agree with them on a lot of issues, I could get along with them in a climate of mutual respect. We used to more or less have that in this country, but we’ve let it slip away. I think one group is more responsible than the other for that. They became closed-minded, unreasonable, belligerent, underhanded, insulting, and started making threats long before the other side did, and in much greater volume. I don’t understand that, and I’m not making much effort to understand it.
If you’re a racist or a white supremacist, we’re not going to get along. If you mistreat people because of their race, gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, national origin, or religious beliefs, we’re not going to get along. Neo-Nazis, Klansmen, and vigilantes can go to hell.
If you’re a Holocaust denier, climate change denier, or embrace false conspiracy theories, I’ll turn my back on you, and we won’t get along. If you’re a science denier, opposed to reason, or put ignorance on a pedestal, I won’t listen to you, we’re not going to get along. If you’re a book burner, we’re not going to get along. If you endanger me by refusing to comply with reasonable health regulations, I’ll call the cops, and if I get Covid-19 because of your stupidity or selfishness, I’ll sue your ass.
If you refuse to accept the results of a fair election, we’re not going to get along. If you try to declare an election winner before all the legal ballots are counted, we’re not going to get along. If you call legitimate votes fraudulent, we’re not going to get along. If you keep legitimate voters from voting, we’re not going to get along. If you sabotage the postal system to keep mail ballots from being counted, we’re not going to get along. If you think it’s okay for the Supreme Court to defy the will of the people and overturn an election, we’re not going to get along.
I’m always open to constructive discussion and debate, and a competition of ideas. But if you won’t listen to me, I probably won’t listen to you. If you shout me down, I’ll walk away. If you brandish a gun, I’m through with you, and we’ll never get along.
The social contract is fragile. We have a deal on certain things, but if you violate the contract, we’re not going to get along.
Photo: L.A. cops beating the crap out of Rodney King. I won’t accept this. But when he asked, “Can we all get along?” he was being a Pollyanna. Lovely thought, but when people behave badly, and some always do, it’s out of reach.