If you are a Democrat, do you remember the last really good conversation you had with a Republican?

And if you are a Republican, do you remember the last really good conversation you had with a Democrat?

Or when was the last time you had a super talk with a supporter of a third party?

If the answer to the questions above is not sometime this summer, then perhaps you don’t have as healthy of a view as a good American should.

One beauty of living in America is we are free to share our viewpoints. If that means sharing them only with people who agree with us, then how are we to develop and sharpen our stances on topics?

A major concept behind freedom of speech and other guarantees of the First Amendment — freedom of the press, freedom of religion, freedom of assembly and freedom of petition — is that by sharing our differing views we become a more educated and wiser voting populace than if we didn’t have those freedoms.

By being open to talking with a wide circle of friends, acquaintances and colleagues and by being open to digesting a wide variety of media, it doesn’t mean you completely agree with all you encounter. But it does mean you will have a better picture of what is political reality in America and what is political fantasy. You can make an informed choice when you go to the polls.

Don’t get stuck in a rut. Be a good American. Be willing to listen to other viewpoints.