We need to stop silencing the voices that don’t agree

I won’t quit using Facebook, and I won’t delete (unfriend) people I know just because they have different beliefs than I do. And here’s why.
First of all, as a journalist who has been in the newspaper business now for almost 30 years, I was taught — by my college professors, from my esteemed colleagues, and from the experience of interviewing people from all walks of life — that there are many different views than my own, and it is worth my time to explore those views, to understand why people have them, and to gather factual information to determine my own views while respecting why others hold theirs.
Let me expand on this. I grew up very different than a lot of people I know. I was an Air Force brat. I lived all around the U.S. and beyond, met all kinds of people from various backgrounds, religions, political views, etc. I have been married three times, divorced twice, been abandoned financially and received state assistance to get back on my feet. I have known other ‘welfare moms,’ 98% of whom were good, decent people just trying to raise their kids, often with little to no assistance from the father. Some of these situations were created by bad choices or naivety, some by situations beyond anyone’s control.
On the other hand, I know people who have lived in one or two places their entire lives. They have been in a stable relationship for decades, worked the same job for decades, lived in the same place for decades. They have their own troubles — as every person does — but they seem to have a hard time relating to my friends and I in the aforementioned group, and vice versa.
And it seems to me that my friends from these two groups differ widely in their views, especially in politics. Do I fault any of them for believing as they do? No, of course not. Because I can understand the single mom struggle, and although it wasn’t my life, I try to understand the views of those whose lives have differed from my own. Each of these groups of friends seem to have a hard time understanding the views of the other.
I hope that my life experiences and my work in the newspaper business makes me empathetic enough to at least try to understand where each is coming from. The odd thing is, I see people from each of these types of backgrounds saying EXACTLY the same thing about the other when it comes to many of their beliefs — especially when it comes to politics. 
It reminds me of organized religion — to which I have no affiliation — and the way in which you so often see one group saying, “ours is the only RIGHT belief, and if you do not believe OUR religion then you are damned.” Well, in my opinion, they can’t all be right. I don’t damn my friends or acquaintances based on their walk or life, their religion, nor their political views. The main reason is that I believe, when it comes down to it, everyone wants the same thing. Everyone wants a happy, healthy and stable life, where they can make a living and support their families. And this goes for ALL of my friends — my gay friends, my Catholic friends, my single mom friends, my happily married friends, my conservative friends and my liberal friends.
So, back to Facebook. Do I agree with everyone? No. Do I have my opinions? Of course. Does everyone agree with my opinion? Of course not. But I still want to know, and understand, those who do not agree with me. I want to know WHY they feel the way they do. Honestly, most of the time I really think differences in opinion have much to do with how a person has experienced their life thus far and who they surround themselves with, and that if they try to understand where a person is coming from and why they feel the way they do they will at least have a better understanding of other viewpoints. There is less animosity where there is understanding.
This is why I won’t quit using Facebook, because I want to see those viewpoints. I want to try to understand them, and I want my friends to try to understand mine. I believe there is a danger in moving to other, more remote platforms — the danger lies in further separating oneself from other views. If you only surround yourself with people who believe EXACTLY the same as you do, then when you encounter someone with different conclusions, ideologies, political stances or beliefs, you simply cannot understand why or how they can be that way. There is a loss of sympathy and empathy, of experience, knowledge and understanding. By isolating yourself, you miss out on the realization that everyone wants the same thing, but may see different ways in achieving those goals. You miss out on the conversation. 
Does Facebook use algorithms to target you? Yes, we all know it does. Do bots send out memes our way to try to incense us and disenfranchise us, to pit one against another? Yes, we all know they do. But, WE ALL KNOW THEY DO. So why can’t we rise above that? Why can’t we get back to why we joined Facebook in the first place — to connect with our family and friends. Are we capable of scrolling past the bull? Of course. 
We, as citizens of the United States, need to get back to the conversation. We need to move away from the accusations. Is leaving Facebook the right way to do that? Maybe. But make sure you are doing it for the right reason. Further isolation is not the answer.