{"id":619,"date":"2021-04-29T09:42:39","date_gmt":"2021-04-29T13:42:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619"},"modified":"2021-04-29T09:57:41","modified_gmt":"2021-04-29T13:57:41","slug":"the-chasm","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619","title":{"rendered":"The Chasm"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve become increasingly disillusioned and depressed about the state of politics. I\u2019ve reached out to friends on the Right and on the Left, giving them openings to cross the political divide and urging them not to be so partisan. I\u2019ve couched my critiques with forbearance for views I don\u2019t share. I\u2019ve tried my damnedest to appreciate and embrace some of their arguments. Regrettably, it seems to be a bridge too far.<\/p>\n<p>Yesterday a friend wrote a letter to the editor of my local newspaper calling for the resignation of Brad Raffensperger, the Georgia Secretary of State, because he honestly and professionally carried out his duties by certifying the election of President Biden. Another friend responded to my blog on gun control by citing examples from recent shootings that were true enough. Certainly, he must know that these criticisms, however true, don\u2019t rise to the challenge of solving gun violence. And then this morning the<em> Wall Street Journal<\/em> predictably trashed Biden\u2019s address to Congress last night by sniping about all the usual shibboleths.<\/p>\n<p>The point is that no one wants to work together. We look for ways to disagree and seem to enjoy venting our spleens. What is most appalling, however, is that we are frequently dishonest and promote half-truths to present our cases.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>I\u2019ve become increasingly disillusioned and depressed about the state of politics. I\u2019ve reached out to friends on the Right and on the Left, giving them openings to cross the political divide and urging them not to be so partisan. I\u2019ve couched my critiques with forbearance for views I don\u2019t share. I\u2019ve tried my damnedest to&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-619","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-by-robert-fischer"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>The Chasm - Potlatch<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The Chasm - Potlatch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"I\u2019ve become increasingly disillusioned and depressed about the state of politics. I\u2019ve reached out to friends on the Right and on the Left, giving them openings to cross the political divide and urging them not to be so partisan. I\u2019ve couched my critiques with forbearance for views I don\u2019t share. I\u2019ve tried my damnedest to...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Potlatch\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-04-29T13:42:39+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2021-04-29T13:57:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"George Shafer\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"George Shafer\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"1 minute\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"George Shafer\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aa4c9c1bec1eefbee281c7b4f91d91b0\"},\"headline\":\"The Chasm\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-04-29T13:42:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-04-29T13:57:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619\"},\"wordCount\":222,\"commentCount\":1,\"articleSection\":[\"by Robert Fischer\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619\",\"name\":\"The Chasm - Potlatch\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/#website\"},\"datePublished\":\"2021-04-29T13:42:39+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2021-04-29T13:57:41+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aa4c9c1bec1eefbee281c7b4f91d91b0\"},\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?p=619#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"The Chasm\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/\",\"name\":\"Potlatch\",\"description\":\"\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/aa4c9c1bec1eefbee281c7b4f91d91b0\",\"name\":\"George Shafer\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/504c3f3f28fae38b2412b60d480e2acaf009ec80be15447e5fb39173ef16b03c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/504c3f3f28fae38b2412b60d480e2acaf009ec80be15447e5fb39173ef16b03c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/504c3f3f28fae38b2412b60d480e2acaf009ec80be15447e5fb39173ef16b03c?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"George Shafer\"},\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/potlatchga.com\\\/?author=6\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"The Chasm - Potlatch","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"The Chasm - Potlatch","og_description":"I\u2019ve become increasingly disillusioned and depressed about the state of politics. I\u2019ve reached out to friends on the Right and on the Left, giving them openings to cross the political divide and urging them not to be so partisan. I\u2019ve couched my critiques with forbearance for views I don\u2019t share. I\u2019ve tried my damnedest to...","og_url":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619","og_site_name":"Potlatch","article_published_time":"2021-04-29T13:42:39+00:00","article_modified_time":"2021-04-29T13:57:41+00:00","author":"George Shafer","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"George Shafer","Est. reading time":"1 minute"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619"},"author":{"name":"George Shafer","@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/#\/schema\/person\/aa4c9c1bec1eefbee281c7b4f91d91b0"},"headline":"The Chasm","datePublished":"2021-04-29T13:42:39+00:00","dateModified":"2021-04-29T13:57:41+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619"},"wordCount":222,"commentCount":1,"articleSection":["by Robert Fischer"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619","url":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619","name":"The Chasm - Potlatch","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/#website"},"datePublished":"2021-04-29T13:42:39+00:00","dateModified":"2021-04-29T13:57:41+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/#\/schema\/person\/aa4c9c1bec1eefbee281c7b4f91d91b0"},"breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619"]}]},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?p=619#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"The Chasm"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/","name":"Potlatch","description":"","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/#\/schema\/person\/aa4c9c1bec1eefbee281c7b4f91d91b0","name":"George Shafer","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/504c3f3f28fae38b2412b60d480e2acaf009ec80be15447e5fb39173ef16b03c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/504c3f3f28fae38b2412b60d480e2acaf009ec80be15447e5fb39173ef16b03c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/504c3f3f28fae38b2412b60d480e2acaf009ec80be15447e5fb39173ef16b03c?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"George Shafer"},"url":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/?author=6"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=619"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":621,"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/619\/revisions\/621"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=619"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=619"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/potlatchga.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=619"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}