THE JEWISH JOURNAL: “MAYBE SOME SUSPECT THAT ONLY CHUMPS SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND WITH SCORPIONS”
In the fight for the beleaguered stimulus package in the United States, hundreds of representatives and senators have had to attempt to agree on $827 billion in stimulus package projects. There are many interests at stake–sometimes contradictory. Finding common ground on the issue of the economy is not difficult: we all suffer as a result of the economic downturn and something needs to change to counteract this. But in the process of dividing the aid to a weary country, feet get stepped on, egos bruised, and vital interests ignored. The so-called “Brigadoon of bipartisanship” is as illusive as ever. If anyone needs a conflict manager right now, it is definitely the U.S. Congress. Unfortunately, the media has become a spoiler in the efforts for agreement between the two sides by focusing on emotional narratives instead of cold, hard facts.
Question to the Blogosphere: What should the media do to facilitate quicker resolution of differences within Congress in the future? Are there individuals appointed to serve as mediators between representatives in Congress who disagree on issues like allocation in the stimulus package? What happens when sensitive interests blind people to the common ground they have?
THE NEW YORK TIMES: RECONCILIATION ON GAY MARRIAGE
David Blankenhorn and Jonathan Rauch disagree on the issue of gay marriage, but they agree that the time is ripe for a deal that could give each side what it most needs in the short run, while moving the debate onto a healthier, calmer track in the years ahead.
“Whatever our disagreements on the merits of gay marriage, we agree on two facts. First, most gay and lesbian Americans feel they need and deserve the perquisites and protections that accompany legal marriage. Second, many Americans of faith and many religious organizations have strong objections to same-sex unions. Neither of those realities is likely to change any time soon.”
“Most gays are opposed to the idea that religious organizations could openly treat same-sex couples and opposite-sex couples differently, without fear of being penalized by the government. But we believe that gays can live with such exemptions without much difficulty. Why? Because most state laws that protect gays from discrimination already include some religious exemptions, and those provisions are for the most part uncontroversial, even among gays.”
Question to the Blogosphere: What do you think of this argument? Do you think that there will be reconciliation on a large scale between the religious groups and the gay community? Can you think of any other instances when gay rights and religious freedom were reconciled? Can religious freedom mean discrimination against people based on their sexual orientation? Are there any laws against this?
GLOBAL VOICES: OPPONENTS IN MADAGASCAR SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND TO END VIOLENCE
Since late January and early February, political violence has plagued Madagascar. According to Lova Rakotomalala, blogging on behalf of Global Voices, after many failed attempts to bring the two sides together, President Marc Ravalomanana and Andry Rajoelina surprisingly came together on neutral ground to end the violence and harsh rhetoric. Hopefully these actions will build common ground to reduce the rift between the three groups now divided on the island–two supporting the each of the political rivals and one supporting the pre-crisis status quo.
Question for the Blogosphere: What are the mutual interests between the government and the political rivals in Madagascar? In crises, is common ground more or less likely to appear? For example, a crisis can make people see that they both have a concern for the survival of their state, whereas if the conflict is in a stalemate, the situation may not seem as dire and therefore these commonalities may not be thrust to the fore. Do you believe that some cultures are more likely to search for common ground on their own, or are civilizational arguments like this antiquated?
FINANCIAL TIMES: THE SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND IN THE EU
Members of the EU have come to realize in the wake of the international financial crisis that they need to establish a solid front to combat both isolationism and the massive financial issues facing the member states of the EU. In the last few meetings of leaders of the EU, there has been a search for common ground. At their weekend Berlin summit they made a genuine effort to forge a common policy in advance of the Group of 20 meeting in London in April. That offered a reassuring contrast to earlier episodes of national egotism.
Question to the Blogosphere: How difficult do you think it is to build common ground between the twenty-seven member states of the EU? Do you think the fact that these countries already have a common European heritage makes it easier to find common ground among the members of the EU–or do you think that nationalism in each state make it harder to reach common consensus among European countries?
