Definitions
Definitions are everything. Definitions determine whether or not you're having the same conversation, true for any topic. I'll reference three subjects here: the 2020 presidential election, gun control, and abortion. The painful topic of abortion is particularly divisive because no one agrees on the operating terms like "life", "killing", and "choice". When does life begin? When is killing really only choosing? When is choosing really only killing? Are they the same? Both? Without first defining these perspectives- an arduous or maybe even impossible task- how can useful dialogue happen? The social quagmire of gun control policy means different things to Americans. Some folks define the topic as their own guns will be controlled, but not criminals who easily obtain their weapons illegally. Other folks think control means curtailing semi-automatic guns and rifles, large capacity ammo, and attachments. The two sides remain far apart because there are...