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Years ago, when I was living in New Haven and was in business with my brother, one of our employees came to us with an advertising opportunity. He was a member of an organization at Yale called The Party of the Right. He wanted us to put an ad in their journal.

At the time I was not particularly conservative, and my brother wasn’t then and still isn’t. But still, almost thirty years later, I remember their motto at that time.

We don’t care that you think as we do, only that you think, because if you think, sooner or later, you will think as we think.

Are you afraid of people who think like that? I know many who are. They fear people who think they are right. In fact , they do not believe there is a right, only perceptions. Everything is relative in their world. There are two sides to every story and neither is right or wrong. We each hold our own truths.

Well, I don’t buy it and I don’t think the Jewish tradition does either. There is a difference between right and wrong and there is a difference between terrorists and sovereign nations defending themselves.

The Party of the Right’s motto (at that time, I cannot find any reference to it on their current website) is a bit arrogant for sure. But what a powerful statement about the power of thinking, the power of words, discussion, and debate. They are not only so sure that they are correct, but that the logical arguments they will challenge you with are so cogent that they will change your thinking.

Are you afraid to change your thinking? Are you afraid to engage in political discussions with people who don’t agree with you? My partner cringes when I talk politics with friends and they learn I am more conservative than they are. They can’t handle it. They are afraid to engage in discussion and debate unless it is with someone who agrees with their world view. But if you only discuss ideas with people who share your world view, then how will you grow and how can you expect your thinking to change?

When the facts change, I change my mind. What do you do, sir? — John M. Keynes.

But it doesn’t have to be a change of facts that changes your mind. It can be a different point of view or a different way of looking at an issue. One of the most beautiful parts of our tradition is that even the minority opinion is preserved and recorded. In fact, Shamai’s opinion is often cited before Hillel’s opinion, even though the law is more often with Hillel.

Are you discussing, debating, and yes, even arguing (in a respectful way) with Jews and others who don’t share your opinions or world view. Can you have a political discussion with a Republican without thinking they are evil or a Democrat without thinking they are stupid? Can you engage a Jew of another tradition in a respectful way about your different perspectives on our tradition? If not, you need to heal yourself and then join the community.

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