Port: You can make peace only with your enemies
MINOT, N.D. — If you’re a local news reader, you probably recognize the name Faye Seidler.
She is a trans individual and suicide prevention advocate who has been active in North Dakota state politics. Faye and I have struck up a friendly correspondence over the last several months. She’s helped me understand the trans community and its challenges and dilemmas. I’ve helped her with some pointers on how to write persuasively for a political audience.
Faye had told me, toward the beginning of this legislative session, that she wanted to write something about some of the bills before the lawmakers in Bismarck focusing on LGBTQ+ issues. She said she would submit it to a local publication with a left-wing audience.
I told her to consider broadening her target. The people reading a publication like that probably already agree with her. While it’s fine to talk to them, you don’t make progress on issues like these by preaching to the choir.
“We can only make peace with our enemies,” I told her. “That’s why it’s called making peace.”
