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Cool, Don’t Feed the Flames
I commend and support our Bar’s commitment to educating our public about the rule of law, providing civic education, and restoring civility, respect, and enhanced communication through the Rule of Law Ambassador Program (part of the national Speak Up for Justice efforts). But each of us is also facing the increasingly daunting challenge of personally and professionally navigating polarized times. Here’s my attempt to distill my own reactions and methods in dealing with others whose opinions, views, values, and approaches challenge or do not resonate with my own. To be candid, it’s still a work in progress.
Lately, I’ve come to think of myself as a kind of human fire extinguisher; constantly pushing back against extremes, trying to douse the flames of outrage while searching for slivers of common ground. Whether it’s national or local divides, I find myself standing in the middle, feeling the heat from every side. Friends, classmates, family, and people I love hold strong and opposing views. The intensity is everywhere.
So what helps? Cool the flames, then work it off. I try to listen without interrupting, to ask questions that clarify rather than challenge. I look for small openings for empathy. I focus on what we share, not what separates us. And afterward, I run or exercise some other way—that’s how I process the anger, confusion, or hurt that lingers.
I write letters to editors, send op-eds, and reach out directly to leaders with ideas or questions. I volunteer in my community, where common purpose still feels possible and conversation can flow without flaring up.
I collect stories that spark hope. I remind myself that others before us have endured darker times. As “Ethics of Our Fathers,” a compilation of Jewish ethical teachings, states: “It is not your duty to finish the work, but neither are you free to desist from it.”
My father, father-in-law, uncles, and cousins fought to preserve our democracy. My duty now is to keep it alive by cooling the flames, not feeding them.
Michael B. Goldenkranz
Seattle
Letters to the editor published in Bar News must respond to content presented in the magazine and also comply with Washington General Rule 12.2 and Keller v. State Bar of California, 496 U.S. 1 (1990). Bar News may limit the number of letters published based on available space in a particular issue and, if many letters are received in response to a specific piece in the magazine, may select letters that provide differing viewpoints to publish. Bar News does not publish anonymous letters or more than one letter from the same contributor per issue. All letters are subject to editing for length and grammatical accuracy.