What is The Real Deal - Lansing, MI?

Recently several friends, acquaintances, and colleagues have noted that there is not a good "space" for documented, researched, fact-checked information about the things that are going on in Lansing, Michigan. Particularly when it comes to information related to proposed changes of any type in our fair city.

Newspapers don't usually have enough room or time to print "the whole story".

City government could do a better job in publicly and pro-actively providing information about proposed changes.

There is also not a good place for respectful, open, non-combative/non-insulting discussions. We could all do a better job of "informing the discussion" -- whether by fact-checking claims made at city council meetings, neighborhood meetings, or through grape-vine gossip. We can all seek to learn more about how proposed changes have played out in other cities. We can all offer information and ideas, respectfully, and be part of the discussion.

The goal of this blog, and of the POSITIVE PEOPLE PARTY is to move from a combative, disrespectful, and exclusive style of city politics to a collaborative, respectful, and inclusive style.

We all have ideas, feelings, opinions, past experiences, personal experiences, and thoughts to share. This blog is a place to do our fact-checking, and to respectfully share our opinions, feelings, and ideas. No one is going to agree all of the time. But we can listen to one another, openly, and respond when we hear or see ideas that we disagree with. One thing that is interesting to me is that ALL FEELINGS ARE VALID. You can't tell someone that how they feel or what they think is wrong. It just is. And sharing thoughts and feelings is actually a pretty good way of getting a better understanding of why someone thinks what they think, and could enable us to more successfully struggle our way toward a common understanding.

Here is a passage from Race Manners for the 21st Century by Bruce Jacobs, that I find very insightful:

Shrug off the absurd notion that questioning a person's ideas equals challenging their personhood.

As you go about your daily encounters with people, do not buy into the packaging of politics as personal warfare. It is a harmful product created to help the news and entertainment industry to make a lot of money. It bears no relation to real life and democracy. In a true democracy, people with conflicting ideas are not out to destroy or humiliate one another. They are, on the contrary, out to struggle their way toward some better way of getting along - precisely because they cannot escape one another. In our case, we all live in a common house known as the United States of America. If you want to do something really patriotic, go out and talk excitedly about issues, and ask questions, and raise objections to points of view that do not make sense to you. But do this in a way that allows you the possibility of changing your mind and learning something, and enables you to continue to coexist with the rest of us the next day.

Make no mistake: despite their America-first rhetoric, Rage Talk bullies do not believe in the democratic exchange of ideas. They believe in getting their way. Toward that end, they will lie. They will cheat. They will shout you down. They will annihilate opponents. They will do whatever it takes. You might feel all right about this for the moment if they happen to be on your side of some issue or another. But what's going to happen to you when they're not? That is the question to ponder.

Instead of pursuing the politics of personal warfare, start pursuing the politics of respectful struggle. Do that, and you will never again have to apologize for disagreeing with anyone.