Politics (and other things that don't matter)

While I still maintain my stand on not getting into my personal political views and opinions, I would like to take the time to explain my opinion on political opinions. A person's political views are as important as anything else in their life. It's what makes or breaks a democratic country. The honest and respectful airing of one's views is an integral part of living as a member of any society. So why the title of this blog? Because to me, those views and opinions don't have any bearing on my decision to interact or be friends with anyone. In fact, I've found in my 44 years that the more diversity in my circle of friends, the more healthy discussions we can have. If we only include like-minded people in our lives, it would get extremely boring, and we'd never learn anything new. This isn't exclusive to politics - Religion, Child raising, Creation/evolution, Roe V Wade, Italian or Asian food for dinner - any and all differences make for great interactions. I wouldn't have anywhere near the number of friends, the amount of contacts in my Email list, or even the followers I have on Twitter, if I excluded those whose views on various topics opposed my own. I welcome the input they offer. So rather than arguing about these things, discuss them. Voice those opinions respectfully, get your message out there, but also listen to the voices of your friends, neighbors, and even those we consider opponents. Agree or not, it's this diversity that creates great countries, towns, and even friendships.