How do we talk about the Israel-Hamas war?
As the Israel-Hamas war crosses into its fifth month, Americans continue to struggle with talking about the conflict. The atrocities committed in Gaza can be difficult to speak about while the political landscape surrounding U.S. support of Israel poses deep division along the lines of party membership, religion and age.
So how are we supposed to come together and talk about this war?
Experts provided three tips to generate conversation, and how to deal with controversy:
- Get education: The more you know about the entire scope of the war, it's history and the actors at play, the more you can give and receive in a dialogue.
- Humanize the other side: One expert suggests starting an interaction with a "how are you?" question before diving into a heated topic.
- Protect free speech: As much as another person may anger you, remember their right to voice their opinion — the freedom to express our thoughts should trump pressure to chill free speech.