President-Elect Biden calls for us to try to understand each other.

I just got off  the phone with a friend who voted for President Trump. I am trying to understand why.

My friend does not wear protective masks because he says that physics proves a mask will not stop the Covid virus. He says most experts agree with this. I do not believe he is correct.

He thinks that only 15,000 Americans have died from the Covid virus and that hospitals make more money if they characterize deaths as caused by Covid. I think that almost 250,000 have died from Covid and hospitals do not misreport the numbers to make more money from Covid deaths.

I told him that we can take some time now to sort out the facts, determine the truth without political spin, and come to some mutual understandings. He doesn’t think so. He thinks people are inherently bad. I think everyone is trying their best to be good.

There is a wonderful book called City by Clifford D. Simak. It takes place in the future and is a series of  stories told around campfires by dogs who were given the power of speech by an extinct creature, Mankind. One story is about a message, that when read, causes you to instantly understand another person.

Imagine what it would be like if such a passage existed.

You will be able to have a pleasant Thanksgiving this year, even if you invite your crazy uncle.

Democrats and Republicans will understand each other. Compromises will be made. Deadlock will be unblocked. Congress will get to work on bipartisan solutions to the pandemic, health care, the economy, criminal justice reform, and infrastructure.

Judges would understand what lawyers were telling them. Opposing counsel will suddenly become reasonable. Litigants will no longer need the courts to decide disputes.

Men and women will understand each other. Truce will be declared in the war between the sexes. Arguments will end. Spouses will stop getting divorces.