Jack’s Winning Words 8/17/07
“Think globally. Act neighborly.” (Often quoted by Bill McKibben) Tod Murphy, who runs The Farmer’s Diner in Vermont, had a bunch of bumper stickers printed with this slogan. It was not meant to be liberal or conservative, but an attempt to move past polarization. That seems like a neighborly thing for him to do. ;-) Jack

FROM REV J.S. IN MICHIGAN: I like the slogan but I fail to see how this has anything to do with the polarization in this country. The conservatives probably think that this is a wake up call to liberals and vice versa.

MORE FROM J.S.: That was an incredibly neighborly response and is a perfect illustration of why we have polarization. You wrote all about the liberal positions and expect everyone to adopt them or they are not neighborly!!! You need to reread the slogan and your response and you will have a much better idea of why the conservatives reject the smug self-righteousness of the liberals. If we are going to do something about this polarization, we are going to have to listen to one another. That is the missing ingredient. Listening is the ultimate mark of respect and is the only possibility of ending a conflict such as we find in this country. The liberals in the ELCA are about the poorest listeners I have ever encountered. Our conservatives aren't much better. Those of us in the middle are frustrated by the two groups because we are ensnarled in their self-righteous blasts at one another. In addition, we are hailed as either liberals or conservatives if we dare to disagree with eith
er one or the other. The two groups admit of no middle ground. Your reaction was a perfect example of this.

RESPONSE FROM JACK: I think he missed the point! ...like two ships passing in the night.

FROM L.K. IN OHIO: Whatever the State I'm in at the time, I do stop at local diners, run by farmers or not.....I never get bumper stickers.