At the Miss USA Pageant this year, Miss California, Carrie Prejean, enunciated her disapproving opinion about same sex marriage, causing an uproar in the gay community and potentially costing her the crown. The Los Angeles Times asked the Blogosphere what they thought about Miss California’s response to a question from Perez Hilton, a California-based gossip blogger who is openly gay. One of the responses in particular illustrated the ability of people with seemingly unsurmountable differences to live together in peace.
I disagree with the lack of respect shown toward Miss California, we can agree to disagree, but in the end, we need to find common ground that unifies us and appeal for greater understanding and compassion. Perez Hilton is very unsophisticated in his way of attacking Miss California, his actions serve as a setback in our movement to legalize same sex marriage. My life partner Andrew and I are raising three children (2 daughters and a son) and we teach them to not hate people who think differently from us, but show patience and understanding with them and focus on what we share in common. People need to know who we are, a loving committed couple, raising children and trying to set positive examples to them on coexisting with all people and eventually achieving what is right and just for all human beings!! –Jeff Stryke
Question to the Blogosphere: Do you think efforts to coexist with people who oppose one’s way of life, such as Mr. Stryke’s efforts, are naive or brave? Does finding common ground necessarily involve such a tempered reaction, or is pushing people out of their comfort zone, as Perez Hilton does, necessary to ultimately improve relationships and change? Perhaps one of the hardest things about finding common ground is this process of sorting out our differences, which work to divide us. What can the gay and conservative communities of states like California do to find common ground? Do you think it’s more or less difficult to search for common ground in the United States than in other countries?
MALAYSIAN NATIONAL NEWS AGENCY: COMMON GROUND FOR ONE NATION
On April 22, Jesse Jackson gave a speech entitled, “Building A Culture of Peace and Development in a Globalised World”, at the event series “Bridges-Dialogues Towards a Culture of Peace” in Kuala Lumpur.
Those who live in ‘one nation’ must find the common ground to be together. This, in turn, leads to cooperation, coalition and reconciliation.
Question to the Blogosphere: Why do you think it is important for the people of Malaysia to find common ground? From an economic standpoint, Malaysia has been doing pretty well, could maintaining this growth be a good reason to search for common ground? Why is it common ground between internal players important to third parties such as the United States?
LOS ANGELES TIMES: IRAQ ELECTS PARLIAMENT SPEAKER AFTER 4-MONTH IMPASSE
Iraq’s parliament ended four months of legislative paralysis Sunday by electing a new speaker who supporters hope will bring both muscle and discipline to the notoriously disorderly body. The selection of the mild-mannered Iyad Samarrai of the Sunni Iraqi Islamic Party is seen as a setback for the Shiite-dominated government of Prime Minister Nouri Maliki, however he replaces Mahmoud Mashadani, who resigned as speaker in December amid universal complaints about his erratic and abrasive style. The impasse occurred because of concerns by some, including Maliki, that the Iraqi Islamic Party would use the position to challenge the prime minister’s power. The impasse was broken after Maliki received assurances that the Iraqi Islamic Party would not seek to challenge his rule. The deadlock had delayed the passage of many key pieces of legislation, including the 2009 budget and the much-anticipated oil law, which has been dragging through parliament for years.
Question to the Blogosphere: This incident marks a good example of how conflicts can negatively affect the context in which the participants find themselves. Here, legislation has been paralyzed by the quarrell. How do you think the government of Iraq built enough trust between Maliki and the Iraqi Islamic Party to be able to gain a credible assurance that the party would not launch a no-confidence vote against the Prime Minister? What role does religion sect have in this conflict versus the role of personalities? Do you think the fact that the new speaker is Sunni will cause division and more confusion in the parliament, or will the fact that he is mild-mannered and profession increase the capacity of the government to work productively for the country? Do you think Maliki will be able to work effectively with Samarri?
BBC NEWS: OBAMA INVITES MIDDLE EAST HEADS
PM Benjamin Netanyahu, President Hosni Mubarak and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas have been asked to the White House for talks likely by early June in order to restart the Middle East peace process. With each of them Obama plans to discuss ways the United States can strengthen and deepen US partnerships with each group, as well as the steps all parties must take to achieve peace between Israel and the Palestinians and Israel and the Arab states. Currently, ther is much cynicism in the Middle East on all sides towards the peace process.
Question to the Blogosphere: What common ground, if any do these groups have with each other? What should the role of the United States be in the Arab/Israeli conflict? Do you think a two-state solution is wise? What incentives can the United States provide in order to get all parties to come to a mutually agreed-upon solution? Do you think there can be a solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict?
CNN INTERNATIONAL: NORTH AND SOUTH KOREA TALKS LAST ONLY 22 MINUTES
In the first government-to-government talks in over a year, representatives from the two nations were set to discuss business deals tied to the Kaesung Industrial Complex in North Korea, which is run by both nations; however the negotiations promptly ended after the North Korean delegation refused to discuss the release of a detained South Korean worker, saying he was not on the agenda. The employee of Hyundai Asan Corporation has been accused of criticizing North Korea’s political system and trying to persuade a local worker to defect.
Question to the Blogosphere: Do you think the issue of the South Korean workers was important enough to bring to the table at the first meeting between South and North Korea in a year? Is this an example of how common ground on some issues, such as business and economics, may not lead to the amelioration of relations between two countries with historical hatreds on other issues, such as national security and protection of citizens? Why do you think the South brought up the issue of the worker?
BBC NEWS: IRAN WELCOMES NUCLEAR TALKS PLAN
Iran has welcomed an offer of talks with six world powers over its nuclear programme, state television says. Last week the six – US, Russia, China, France, UK and Germany – said that they were inviting Tehran for talks. The group’s statement also reaffirmed its members’ commitment to a “dual track” strategy, promising economic and political assistance if Iran agreed to international demands to halt uranium enrichment operations, but tighter sanctions if it did not.
Question to the Blogosphere: Can negotiations be successful when there is not a search for common ground? In this case, do you think that the countries are coming together to build relationships or to see how much power they can pull from one side or the other? Do you think Iran is genuine in its wish to hold talks with six major powers of the world or do you think the fact that the news appeared on state television could mean that Iran wants to look progress without actually having to be progressive? Do you think Iran will respond more to positive inducements to change their behavior in favor of the West or punishments for bad actions?
