Friends, Kossacks, Orangepersons, lend me your eyes. I have come to praise Cal Thomas, not to bury him.
No, this is not snark.
Yesterday, Mr. Thomas, whose work I have excoriated with extreme prejudice numerous times here, published a column which is not only a sincere call for polite, issues-based debate between political foes, but the very model of how to apologize when you've said something you should not have said.
Some of you may remember his awful declaration at CPAC that Rachel Maddow was "the best argument in favor of her parents using contraception." It was a cheap shot, which even he quickly realized.
So he called her to apologize. And, as he writes,
It wasn't one of those meaningless "if I've offended anyone ..." apologies; it was heartfelt. I had embarrassed myself and was a bad example to those who read my column and expect better from me.
Maddow promptly, publicly accepted his apology, which she deemed completely sincere. They are scheduled to have lunch together soon.
What is more, Thomas, in his column, urged that his readers not only strive to keep their arguments civil, but to listen to those with whom they argue. He says that, since his unfortunate crack and his apology for it, he has watched Maddow's show several times and encourages others to do so.
Without engaging in any qualifiers, she is a strong and competent advocate for her position. Why do so many of us only watch programs that reinforce what we already believe? Where is the growth in that? Whatever else she may or may not be, she is my fellow American.
I have many liberal friends acquired over the years. They are impossible to avoid in the media, but I don't wish to avoid them. They became my friends because I stopped seeing them as labels and began seeing them as persons with innate worth.
I never in my wildest dreams thought I would write something like this but...
Please read Cal Thomas' entire column and think about taking its lessons to heart. And, if you have time, send him a note of thanks. His message--and example--are something we should all live by.