OPINION: Searching for Common Ground

Are people who disagree with us necessarily evil? Of course not. While advocating, defending, or fighting for our own principles and positions, harboring feelings of animosity toward our opponents is a poison that can rob us of our happiness and health.

When I was in law school at Michigan nearly half a century ago, my criminal law professor shared a statement that I’ve never forgotten. He said that a clever person focuses on how he is different from others, while a wise person focuses on what he has in common...