on striving for a "more confident pluralism"

A nice essay by John Inazu in The Hedgehod Review, including a wonderful story about Jerry Falwell and Larry Flynt...

In no particular order, barriers to a "more confident pluralism" (from all sorts of people on the Right and on the Left):

-defensiveness and fear

-ignorance and insularity

-self-righteousness and intolerance

-lack of genuine/deep relationships in general and empathy in particular

-a general fondness for using the coercive powers of govt against others