OPINION: Political Climate of 2019
By Braden Hertz
The other day, I saw that under Elizabeth Warren’s post on Instagram, people called one another communists, fascists, and other horrific labels not just capable of hurting one’s self-esteem but of ruining one’s career. We are in such a polarized political climate, name-calling has seeped into everyday discussions, from books to movies to sports. The anger and animosity we often express towards each other is almost hard to fathom: friends leave each other because of political views or families separated because of their views for the future of this nation. However, in the midst of this political climate, we must find a common ground. We can bond and relate over anything from music to sports teams to our basic freedoms. Indeed, a conservative and liberal can find a great many things that they agree upon, including politics. It might seem absurd to many that these two groups can find common ground, as they have different views on how the world should work; but to be good Americans, we must look past these differences. The media uses our anger and continues to fuel it. Media corporations and wealthy executives use this anger to grab an audience and make money. The media executives do not care about the safety of the people and the wellbeing of the populace. They care about money.
“In the midst of this political climate, we must find a common ground.”
Those who refuse to come together and find common ground further pull this country apart. We are all Americans—recognizing what makes us similar means we cannot be pulled apart by politicians and media outlets look for the perfect time and circumstance to drag us apart. However, instead of remaining angry at the political climate, try to talk to those who don’t agree with you, and do not label yourself or others a radical. Whichever party you choose to align with and no matter what beliefs you hold, find a party that you do not agree with and look into their views and why they believe what they do. This is the exact reason we need civil discourse, as labeling your “political rival” will only add fuel to the fire that has now burned for decades in America.
Works Cited:
Wilkinson, Will. “Political Labels, Political Identity, and Bias.” Big Think, Big Think, 29 Jan. 2019.