"Tell me what you don't like about yourself, America."

“Tell me what you don’t like about yourself. " You may recognize this iconic phrase spoken by actors Sean McNamara and Christian Troy, played by Dylan Walsh and Julian McMahon, in the TV show Nip/Tuck (2003-2010).

Feels like an appropriate opener for today, with one edit:

“Tell me what you don’t like about yourself, America?”

I believe in discourse, difficult conversations, the kind that will get an educator thrown in jail in South Carolina. Listening is an art and science ( see the Third Ear), reserving judgments while providing all the facts, perspectives, and nuances by the best teachers who are often each other. 

Exercising kindness is paramount and therapeutic, but so is a good proverbial scrap in the yard (metaphorically, of course).

So, I have to ask again,

“Tell me what you don’t like about yourself: America.”