Dori: My friendly disagreement with Duff McKagan over plastic bag ban should be the norm

I’m telling you, I found myself in the midst of a little bit of a worldwide maelstrom Thursday night.

After talking about the proposed statewide plastic bag ban on the show Wednesday and Thursday, I sent out a Tweet talking about how I think it’s silly for Washington state to do a ban because it does nothing for the planet.

I explained that 95 percent of the plastic in our oceans comes from just 10 rivers, eight in Asia and two in Africa. The United States contributes very little, and of that, Washington state is just a tiny percentage. It just struck me as an exercise in futility to enact a statewide plastic bag ban.

95% of the plastic in our oceans comes from ten rivers – eight in Asia and two in Africa. A plastic bag ban in WA St will do essentially nothing for the planet. Another exercise in local progressive futility to “feel good”

— Dori Monson (@dorimonson) November 29, 2018

RELATED: Environmental expert argues plastic bag ban does more harm than good

During the show on Thursday, my friend and Guns N’ Roses member Duff McKagan sent out a Tweet completely disagreeing with me.

I disagree Dori. I studied this exact topic at SU for a semester. I know the ‘aspirin’ effect you are talking about, and I get it..but lessening plastic anywhere is a good thing. Also, not sure where got your stat. Just sayin… https://t.co/0fpEii7G4B

— Duff McKagan (@DuffMcKagan) November 29, 2018

Duff was not able to come on the show and talk with us because he’s been in Africa on tour with the band. In fact, he had just gotten offstage when he sent that Tweet — he told us he was feeling “amped up” after the concert.

I sent a reply, in which I told him how much I loved the feedback and looked forward to working together on Seattle’s many issues.

Love the feedback from my friend @DuffMcKagan !! We disagree on this one – but, when your @GunsNRoses tour is over, let’s get together on issues that’ll bring together this region we grew up in and love and fix this damn place!!

Now get back from Africa so we can get to work! https://t.co/0mbh6JuyMa

— Dori Monson (@dorimonson) November 30, 2018

Duff then sent a Tweet to his 1.17 million followers reiterating that while he can disagree with me on certain political topics like the statewide plastic bag ban, it does not affect the strength of our friendship.

Just 2b clear, 4anyone thinking I railed against @dorimonson as a person, would be wrong. I enjoy his show, and Dori at a personal level. I only disagreed with a ‘take’ he had….which is ok. He can do the same 2me, and guess what? We’d still remain friends and respect each other

— Duff McKagan (@DuffMcKagan) November 30, 2018

After that, so many of Duff’s followers from around the world began applauding us for being able to have a civil discourse. I was getting messages from people in Brazil and China, which were quite fun to read.

But I thought, how odd, that being nice to each other despite disagreeing on a topic becomes this huge, prominent thing. Many of the comments said that for most people, if someone disagrees with them, it ends their friendship. How stupid is that?

Is it really that notable that a couple of buddies said, “Hey, I disagree with you, but that’s okay?” I can disagree with anybody and have zero residual effect as long as the underlying basis of it is friendship and trust. It’s sad that that is not the norm in today’s society.

Follow @http://www.twitter.com/dorimonson