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I’ve been watching Crossfire for several weeks now. But not because I particularly like it or its often absurd reduction of important issues to 15-second soundbites and 30-second “debates.” Instead I’m watching it to hone my swordsmanship against aggressive, content-free arguments like those skillfully wielded by Tucker and Bob. You know the kind, logically unsound but forcibly presented, and thereby convincing to many people. Straight from their ass to my blade, so to speak.

Last week Tucker interviewed Martin Sheen and Rob Reiner on the campaign trail in Iowa where they were stumping for Howard Dean. I like both guys a lot; Martin for his acting skills and commitment to Christian social justice and pacifist causes, and Rob for being articulate and making funny and incisive movies.

Rob said something that has stuck with me —

The difference between Republicans and Democrats [is] Republicans know they’re right. Democrats entertain the possibility they might be wrong.

This seems profoundly true to me. True enough, in fact, that I doubt either party’s partisans would disagree much. Spend a couple of days watching the news and those around you through the lens of this observation, and see what you think.

I’ve realized Rob’s observation touches on one of my deepest convictions:
Those who always know they’re right can never be truly wise.

Why? Because the only way to always be right in this world is to deny all evidence that challenges that rightness.

And that, brothers and sisters, ain’t wise. It’s behavior that reminds me of the inhabitants of Lineland in Edwin Abbott’s Flatland — the Linelanders are self-satisfied and rather militantly unaware of the larger 2-dimensional universe around them. (And so on outward through the dimensions.)

Give me someone any day whose intent is good, who tries, makes mistakes, corrects, and tries again — with tenacity — over someone who always knows what’s right for themselves and for me and says to hell with me if I disagree.