TUCSON, ARIZ. AND HEATH, MASS.-John Kenneth Galbraith wrote in his 1983 analysis of power that power rests in the power of persuasion. Persuasion requires effective communication of words, thoughts, and one's vision.
The political climate in recent years reflects the stark opposite of communication. Instead, we scream, rant, rage, unfriend, walk away, call each other misinformed, ignorant, and stupid; then end years-long relationships with friends and family who disagree with us.
Trump's decisive and overwhelming victory is, in large part, the consequence of silencing rather than talking, listening, hearing, and persuading.
There is a colossal arrogance in calling one another "garbage," "misinformed," and "deplorables" and then continually asserting that only Democrats and liberals "get it" while others - such as conservatives, women, Black, Hispanic, Muslim, LGBTQ people, the Amish community, and younger voters (all of whom are now identified as of critical in securing Trump's victory) - are unable to.
Thank you for including the balanced and insightful response of Liam Madden in the discussion of gun violence in the U.S. Since his column, at least two more incidents of mass slaughter have occurred. We can continue to breathlessly rant our indignation. We can continue to debate what the...
I have read with deep personal interest Mindy Haskins Rogers' Viewpoint and all subsequent responses to it. I immediately wanted to respond, but hesitated. Outside of the Catholic Church scandal, we don't hear too much from men who have been sexually abused and how they've coped with it. I...
I woke up this morning astonished to find a text message that simply read, “happy anniversary!” It was the first time in 33 years that anyone has ever remembered our anniversary. In 1988, in Boston, long before “gay marriage” seemed a possible reality in our lifetime, I met my partner, Kevin, at the Names Project AIDS Quilt display at the Plaza Castle armory. Eventually, after being together for over a quarter of a century, we married at the Brattleboro Municipal...
The point MacLean Gander makes in “A national dislocation from reality” [Column, March 3] of the importance of how a problem gets defined, who gets to define it, and who then reports on it (hopefully) using “the basic principles of accuracy, fairness, and objectivity” which he also acknowledges as being “shaped in powerful ways by the prevailing culture” seemed more than a little relevant and timely to me. Recently, I remarked that it seems there is no dialogue any more,
Seven years ago, the town of Brattleboro was lauded as a “national leader” by animal advocates around the country after signs warning of the danger of leaving dogs unattended in vehicles were installed in all municipal parking lots. The permanent signs warn that heat can kill animals left in parked cars, and also remind us that it is illegal in Vermont to endanger them. They were strategically placed on all park-and-pay kiosks in town. They're visible from various vantage points,
“Get away from my car, you f-ing a-hole! I don't need any information! I love my dogs!” That was the reaction of an elderly woman in Palm Springs, Calif., when offered printed educational information on the risks to her two small dogs that she left alone in her car while she shopped for groceries for over an hour. “These people are interfering with my right to live my life the way I choose!” So screamed an angry dog owner at...
Greetings, Vermonters! As a deaf person and former Vermonter, I just received a letter from Vermont Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program (VTEDP) inquiring if I need new or upgraded telephones or computers (including laptops and tablets) to assist me. They encourage recipients of their program's equipment benefits to share this information with others with hearing loss who may benefit from the program. I am passing this along so you might share it with those who might be interested in this service...