Israel-Palestine Topic 1
RESPOND TO THE QUESTIONS LISTED BELOW IN A SHORT ESSAY RESPONSE & ALSO TAKE THE TIME TO RESPOND TO SOME OF YOUR CLASSMATES IDEAS/ESSAYS... ASK QUESTIONS, DEBATE ISSUES... HAVE FUN!
Which things might be hard for someone who disagrees with you to hear? Why?
If you and your opponent each listed the things that were hard to hear, which things might be on both lists?
How can we use common expectations to build bridges?
History Quotes
We can learn from history how past generations thought and acted, how they responded to the demands of their time and how they solved their problems. We can learn by analogy, not by example, for our circumstances will always be different than theirs were. The main thing history can teach us is that human actions have consequences and that certain choices, once made, cannot be undone. They foreclose the possibility of making other choices and thus they determine future events.
-Gerda Lerner
History, we can confidently assert, is useful in the sense that art and music, poetry and flowers, religion and philosophy are useful. Without it -- as with these -- life would be poorer and meaner; without it we should be denied some of those intellectual and moral experiences which give meaning and richness to life. Surely it is no accident that the study of history has been the solace of many of the noblest minds of every generation.
-Henry Steele Commager
Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation.
-Robert F. Kennedy
8 comments:
They might find it hard to hear that I may say that I am completely right because they think just the opposite. They might also take my strong liberal political stances to offense, as many people do. I may unintentionally offend them or condemn a thing about them without even actually noticing it or trying to say anything offensive at all.
We would both think that religion, political status, gay marriage opinion, government corruption, Iraq war opinion, and other issues in today's world would all be hard to hear for eachother if we so strongly disagreed. Just today I almost resigned an argument trying to convince someone (No names I will name)that homosexual people are actually PEOPLE! He was so stubborn and so strongly believed that because Christianity condemned homosexuality, that it should become law, even though he perfectly well understood the separation of church and state.
By knowing what other people's opinions are on different issues and everyone changing themselves to understand the other person's side, then we can all help to bridge those gaps and to try to put yourself in the other person's shoes and realize that perfection is only in the eye of perfectionist.
I basically agree with Sam. He kind of says it all. :)
It might be hard for someone who disagrees with you to hear what you think, believe, and want because they theing that they are rigt and you are wrong. People don't want to stop and listen to what other people have to say.
Some things that would be hard for both my opponent and I to hear (in the palestine isralie conflict) are out views on religion, out thoughts on who should get the land, how to come to a compromise, who gets what, what we want, what our goals are, and how we should carry out our plans.
We can use common experiences to relate to eachother. We can "feel eachother's pain" and use it to come to the same conclusion. If we realize that we are all comming from the same place, that we are all dealing with problems, then we can use our past to help build bridges to a better future.
It would be hard to hear that I'm right and they are wrong, Because they think the exact opposite. In fact they could take anything offensivly if they believed in it enough.
If we were to write a list of things we hated to here I am positive that being told that I am wrong would be first, and admiting that I am wrong would be second. Political parties, religion, grades, gay marrage, where to live, and world wide news would be on both of the lists.
We can use what we have learned from others to place ourselfes in their shoes. By doing that we can build a bridge across those gaps and understand what makes the other person think the way they do. Once we do that some people might start to change their ideas about different topics.
(in the view of the Palestine Israeli conflict)I think it would be hard for them to hear about how my famiily member or friend of mine died from the conflict. It would really show that while their getting damaged, we are too! Also it would be hard to hear that I think that my beliefs are correct and theirs are wrong.
I think the list would be something like-
~deaths of family and friends
~why you think you should be there
~political stances
~religional beliefs
~who gets what land?
~etc.
I agree with sam about how to bridge the gaps. If we walk in anothers shoes-we'll understand how they feel and why they believe what they do. They could definitly come to a compromise if they did that.
I think it would be hard to hear that they are wrong. If someone said that I was wrong I'd argue with them. I think this is more of a question that depends on who would be disagreeing with me and their personality, but most people don't like hearing they're wrong.
I think things on both lists would be that:
I'm right, your wrong, and I disagree.
We can compare our life styles and beliefs and find common thngs to build on and talk about.
Someone that someone who disagrees with you to hear would be that you need a pass to go into the city because they can't do what they want and are told where they have to be. Another would be that their is fighting everyday and kids get killed because it is really mean to kill kids. Things that would be on yours and your enemies list is that your dad is in jail and your family or friend just got killed. You can build bridges by stopping the killing and by sharing the land not just giving it to one group.
Eric
It would be hard for the opposing side to hear that I am right and they are wrong, because it's exactly what they think. It's hard to change someone's view points to what you believe sometimes because they strongly believe in the opposite. For example, it would be hard for someone to tell me that War is the answer; that war is a solution to our countries problems and we need to fight.
If both sides listed things that were hard to hear, basically every topic would arise and sometimes they would strongly dissagree, and sometimes they might both agree.
I basically agree with Sam when he said that to understand what the other side is going through, we need to put ourselves in their shoes and see what it feels like. If we understand what they are going through, we can help prepare ourselves and others for the future topics that arise.
Some things that would be hard to hear (if i disagreed) would be:
Political views... everyone has their opinion on politics, and everyone disagrees with opposing parties views!
Religious beliefs... there are a lot of religions in the world, and they all have different beliefs that some people would have trouble agreeing with.
Medical Issues... some people have to have different things done to prevent further damage to themselves, but people might argue that they are just doing it for looks.
Disagreements!... in any of these possible situations, there will be disagreements. Any person (you may not agree. haha) has argues with someone saying that you are right and they are wrong.
If an opponent and I both made a list, i think that everything would be on each list. If we take the time to understand eachother's opinion, then we can begin to see things from the others' point of view!
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