Why can’t we have both conversations?

Whenever there’s an Islamic terrorist attack in America there’s a general unwillingness by much of the political Left to discuss the inherent role of Islamic ideology in the attacks. Likewise, whenever there’s a mass shooting by a non-Muslim there’s a general unwillingness by much of the political Right to discuss gun violence in America. My question is why can’t we have both conversations? These are both important topics and I don’t think we’re doing ourselves any favors by pretending that there’s nothing to say about them. Let’s have both the Right and the Left compromise, granting each other a serious conversation about one important issue in exchange for having a serious conversation about the other. In the process the truth will rise to the surface and we’ll all be better for it.

“But wait,” you say, “the other side is hateful and/or stupid. We can’t give a platform to something like that.” Ok, there might be persons in both camps who could be called either of those things, but if the other side truly is as bigoted and/or moronic as you believe, then you have nothing to fear from them talking. All you have to do is wait. Given enough time to talk, an idiot and/or a hater will expose themselves for what they truly are and will see their influence rapidly diminish. So let each side talk. If those railing about Islam are just idiotic Islamaphobic bigots then let them make their case and just watch as they hang themselves with their own words. In the same manner, if those persons screaming about gun violence are just stupid haters of liberty then allow them to take the podium and sit back while they embarrass themselves into irrelevance. After they’re done babbling their nonsense your side can walk up, easily refute their bad arguments, and sit back down knowing the other side came out of this exposed for fools they are while your side is vindicated. Again, you have nothing to fear from letting the other side talk, and you have nothing to lose but a little time. And hey, doing so might be your best chance to show them the truth and change their mind or maybe they’ll show you the truth and change your mind. Wouldn’t you want to know if you’re wrong?