Speak Compassion

A blog that has become a daily read for me is called, Waging Nonviolence.  They currently have a piece up about this video which is an advertisement for HSBC where a women is protesting the trees being cut in the forest along with other green activists.   As she is arrested, and bailed out, we learn she is in a relationship with one of the loggers who was there to cut down the trees.  As they leave the police station on their motorcycle, they return to the affection that appears to be their relationship.  You can watch the video:

This reminded me immediately of James Carville and his wife, Mary Matalin who are popular TV political analysts from opposite ends of the political spectrum.  Carville is a hardcore Democrat who worked under many of the last Democratic presidents and Matalin is a diehard Republican. The two have also remained happily married despite their political oppositions.  Why?  How is this done?

There is much that could be learned from this relationship which is why George Kohlrieser writes about them in his book, Hostage at the Table.  Kohlrieser goes onto talk in his book about the importance of bonding with another person. He further explains how you can have differences without conflict by keeping “bonding” in tact.   In other words, respect for each other’s humanity is never lost despite differences of opinion.

Those on the opposite political ends of gay marriage, abortion, the healthcare reform debate and many other fierce political differences could learn much about not allowing those differences become ugly conflicts by keeping connected to each other’s humanity.  My suggestion is the same as it was in the last 20 articles I have written.   Keep focused on human needs because we all have them.  We are always bonded and connected despite our differences by the fact that we as human beings all have the same needs.  We may choose different strategies to try and fill those needs and yet the needs remain the same.