We have arrived. Welcome, to the age of ignorance, where people wear stupidity on their sleeve and bigotry like a badge. Where everybody speaks and nobody listens. Where opinions are cherished over the facts.
Where hate is cool again, always bubbling just under the surface of an issue.
Take some of the response we received following the cover story from two weeks ago, “A place of refuge” (March 23), about local law enforcement’s stance on working with the Department of Homeland Security’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Local police chiefs like Ralph Martin, Pat Walsh, and Gary Hoving—along with county sheriffs Bill Brown and Ian Parkinson—explained in the story that their priority is not to enforce federal immigration law, but rather protect and serve local residents, no matter their legal status.
Some people are incapable of reading an article about a subject they don’t agree with without throwing a shit fit. Yes, we understand you’re upset about illegal immigration, but we also didn’t make local law enforcement take that position.
Another example is the letter one page over about last week’s cover story, “Meet a Muslim” (March 30). First, kudos to you, Anne, at least for writing more than just one anger-filled paragraph. I get that you have concerns about Islamism and Jihadism, but several of your questions were actually addressed in the story by the Muslims quoted in it!
And this old trope that Muslims don’t protest or condemn terrorist attacks. Well, it’s baloney. Do you have eyes on all of the 1.6 billion Muslims in the world? I seriously doubt it. How many Muslims do you actually know?
Local congregants of the Islamic Center of Lompoc actually have extended an open door to those curious about their beliefs with recurring Ask a Muslim events, so it’s not for a lack of trying. Try engaging with people. Get out of your comfort zone. Meet them at their level, on their turf. Try to see something from a different point of view!
I truly believe that if most so-called conservatives and most so-called liberals actually got together and discussed their convictions with civility, they’d probably find more common ground than not. But no, they’re too busy labeling each other, telling each other what they believe, and shouting each other down.
And that’s the problem, we’re all ignorant of what each other think and feel, whether it’s someone from another religion or a political opponent. Admittedly, it’s hard to get a reasonable conversation going over the screeching of ideologues. Just don’t be an ideologue, please.
I mean, do you ever just take a moment to stop and smell the flowers? According to Bill Waycott with the California Native Plant Society, we’re in for a hefty “super bloom” out near Figueroa Mountain. If you want to get an early start on wildflower season, you can check out the Carrizo Plain now.
There, I’d like to see someone spin that into a red-faced, high-decibel argument!
The Canary is pro wildflower, always has been. Send your thoughts to canary@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Apr 6-13, 2017.