Can Black People Disagree Without Disrespect?

What about our disagreements call for discord?

The year is 1770. The location, London, England. The setting, a memorial for Anglican clergyman and good friend to Benjamin Franklin, George Whitfield. Standing at the pulpit eulogizing his beloved friend is fellow clergyman, theologian and co-founder of the Methodist church, John Wesley. “There are many doctrines of a less essential nature,” he says to the mourners. “In these we may think and let think; we may ‘agree to disagree.’ But, meantime, let us hold fast the essentials.” Whitfield himself wrote the phrase in a collection of letters on unity in 1750, using it to describe the unimportance of unlikeness where unity is the goal. “After all”, he writes, “those who will live in peace must agree to disagree in many things with their fellow-labourers, and not let little things part or disunite them.” The phrase since then has grown in popularity, referring to the resolution of a disagreement whereby opposing parties accept but do not agree with the position of the opposing side. Parties generally “agree to disagree” when all sides have recognized that further discussion or debate will not yield an otherwise amicable outcome and may result in unnecessary conflict. All sides agree to remain on amicable terms while continuing to disagree about the original disagreement. This resolution is one of mutual respect and reason…