Building Bridges Instead of Armies

I define building an army as an agent that seeks a following of people that look like them, talk like them, act and think like them, vote like them, believe like them, choose like them, work like them, and exist in the same sphere as them.  Anyone can do that.  Anyone.

It takes no boldness, faith, or even one ounce of uncertainty to form a strong army of those who are similarly sided. Such a construction is common in today’s culture. Partisan activists do not seem to have much difficulty finding large groups of people that are totally similar. However, it takes an extreme amount of boldness, faith, and quite a bit of uncertainty to build bridges with those who do not look similar, talk similar, act and think similar, vote similar, believe similar, choose similar, work similar, and yet still exist in similar spheres.

–Andrew Marin, in Chapter 4 of Our Last Option