Let’s Try to Understand Before Casting Aside

The widespread assigning of labels and lobbing of accusations is not helpful in promoting productive discussion or peaceful coexistence. Not everyone who supports Confederate monuments or displays the Confederate flag is a racist or a white supremacist. I would say that a majority are not, in fact. Not everyone who uses the term “white nationalist” even understands the scope and history of the concept. Not everyone who doesn’t immediately and loudly condemn crimes which have nothing to do with them is secretly endorsing or in favor of such actions.

I’m a firm believer in giving people enough rope to hang themselves, but I also try not to make judgments based on one or two often out-of-context comments.

Let’s all make a concerted effort to fully and accurately understand people’s beliefs before casting them aside as irredeemable bigots. That’s not to say that some people haven’t earned it—I’m not losing any sleep over Cantwell being booted from Facebook—but a lot of genuinely decent people are getting caught in the crossfire right now.