whatever happened to peace, man?

I got an e-mail the other day with the subject line "silence the opposition." The purpose was to sign a petition in support of the new supreme court nominee. Why would I want to "silence the opposition"? Whether I agree with their view or not, they have a right to voice their opinion as much as I have a right to voice mine. I scanned the e-mail and then deleted it. I was a bit turned off by the approach. The practice of silencing those in opposition to your view seems unwise. It breeds an "us vs. them" mentality that disrespects and ignores the views of those who don't agree with you. I've been around long enough to have learned that my views are subject to change. I am not always right. I need others around and I need to give an ear to their views. It's really the "golden rule". If I want to be heard, then I need to be willing to hear. If I want to have the opportunity to express my views, even as they change, then I need to be willing to allow others to do the same. I prefer the approach of discussion and dialogue.