Living in North Carolina for the past five years and hanging out primarily with liberal graduate students, I sometimes forget what life is like outside the confines of the liberal academy. I received a not-so-subtle reminder this evening, when I to my hometown of Atlanta. My friends and I went to play tennis, and after a rousing and invigorating game, we headed to Waffle House for a late-night meal. Exhausting all of the "What have you been up to?" updates and "That's what she said!" banter, the discussion shifted to matters political.
We started by laughing about the recent Mark Sanford scandal, a discussion that segued nicely into a discussion of the sitting governor of Georgia, Sonny Perdue. I commented that it amazed me that the man has been in office for so many years, especially considering that one of the primary reasons for his initial election was the he promised to change the Georgia flag back to the good ol' Stars and Bars. I expressed incredulity that anyone could truly base their vote on such a frivolous issue, recalling the litany of signs, adorned with Confederate flags, instructing everyone at the time to "Boot [then-governor] Barnes." One of my friends countered by saying that people were equally frivolous in their support of Barack Obama in the 2008 presidential election. Sensing what he was suggesting but hoping I was wrong, I asked for some clarification. Sure enough, my friend insisted that people supported Obama merely because he is black.
I gently rebuked my friend but insisted that I would not get into such a conversation with him--it was late, and I did not wish to jeapordize our reunion by lecturing my friend about racism. I nevertheless told him that they were countless reasons other than race to support Obama in the previous election, and as an Obama supporter myself, I assured him that my support had precious little to do with the color of Obama's skin. The conversation quickly shifted to another subject, but I couldn't help noticing that my friend appeared to be peeved by our brief exchange.
It's strange, because I was born and raised in Georgia, and by now, I should be used to these and similar sentiments. But I am nonetheless surprised every time I hear just how unabashed my friends can be about their prejudices. They speak without hesitation, as though everyone at the table agrees. It makes me wonder whether there was a time when I harbored similar views or whether I simply lacked the conviction to call out my friends when they made such comments. If I were to have met these people today, would we become friends?
I suspect not, but I'm glad to have retained these friends through the years, despite our diverging opinions, and not merely because I continue to enjoy their company. Had I not been at the table this evening, I don't know that anyone would have corrected my friend, either because they agree with him or because they're accustomed to hearing such things. I know many of my fellow liberal graduate students have probably purged any racists or conservatives from the ranks of their friends, or perhaps they never had such friends to begin with, but my encounter tonight reminded me of the importance of disagreement and the dangers of insularity. Sometimes we get so caught up in our own opinions and prejudices, which we often share with those around us, that we forget that alternative and defensible viewpoints exist.
Lest I be accused of being one-sided here, let me point out that this insularity occurs at both ends of the spectrum--liberal graduate students, for example, can be every bit as closed-minded and insular as conservatives. I, for one, appreciate the perspective I gain from hanging out with people outside of the academy, who remind me that not everyone loves Obama, universal health care, or environmentalism. I may not agree with them, but it's important to realize that other viewpoints exist. And it's absolutely essential that narrow-minded insular thinking, whether liberal or conservative, be confronted by someone of close affective connection, like a friend.
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