Public debate
Focused passion or unconstrained emotion?
Much is being said about the lack of civil democratic conversations over controversial topics like the war in Gaza in our universities.
When thousands protest, it is inevitable that a few will attempt to provoke violence. What concerns me are the many who are apathetic, and a majority that struggle to learn what needs to be understood if United States is to play a constructive role in the world.
For, even when we put the present protests in universities in perspective, we are left with an example of a deeper problem in our society. In many ways and in many places, people of all ages are not constructively sharing with each other their fears, hopes, ideas and experiences.
A citizen in a democratic society is always reconsidering, embracing new information, redefining the issues and recommitting oneself as lines are drawn and redrawn.
But we appear unprepared for such a “burden.” And it is a burden. It is hard. You have to hold your ground against those who are better with words and perhaps brutal in their efforts to bully their opponents.
Why aren’t we able to do this better?
Some say our problem lies in the persuasive power of the masterminds at the partisan extremes. Bad professors. Bad news commentators. And a new generation of young men and women whose minds are mush as a result of our public schools and their liberal curricula. Maybe some of this. Perhaps a little, but, really, is this the best we can do for an explanation?
I think we should look seriously at the way in which we prepare young men and women for citizenship in our schools. There are many ways in which our educational system fails citizenship preparation. One that troubles me is the way in which we shield children from controversial topics. Yes, there is a risk in exposing younger children to age-inappropriate material. But inappropriate in what sense? What is appropriate for citizenship preparation may be inappropriate for other purposes. Choices must be consciously made and tradeoffs understood.
It is essential (again in respect to citizenship preparation in a democratic society) that a person learns early to understand and appreciate how people are different from each other in their personal beliefs, lifestyles, values and commitments. With such recognition comes the willingness to show both interest and respect for those with different opinions and political views.
Likewise, the citizen in a democracy must be prepared to handle tough questions and controversial issues without flinching. Until a person develops self-confidence in their ability to understand and handle controversy, they are either silent or reduced to crowd behavior, chanting slogans rather than exploring ideas.
As early as possible in one’s education, potential citizens should be exposed to ideas that challenge their preconceived notions of justice, faith and life choices. They should not be denied access to books and films and music and art that might cause a degree of stress.
Censorship of any kind prepares a person for failure not success. Exposure to ideas is worth the struggle and the momentary self-doubt that accompanies emotionally charged learning experiences. It toughens mental agility and makes it possible to handle intellectual disagreements with dispassionate objectivity and constructive critique.
It must not be otherwise. We have a choice. We can support a school system that will do no more than strengthen the truths about the world children were given in early childhood, or we can support a school system that prepares them to face intellectual challenges to all ideas with objectivity and dispassionate judgment (and more often than not develop renewed commitment to the “faith of their fathers” as a foundation to meet the challenges of the world). We can develop a school system that will value the past, without closing the next generation’s minds and hearts to a world that will be ever changing.
We can give our students the skills and humility to hold serious debate with their fellow citizens in college classrooms and the public square, without anger and disrespect. Now and throughout their lives. That is, we can teach them to be citizens in a democratic society.