I do not discuss politics. My views put me on both sides of the line so I don't affiliate with either side. I also don't judge those whose views are so far on the opposite side of the spectrum as mine. We live in a country that is supposed to support opinion, diversity and basic human rights. I decided to write this today to not talk about the political issues but to voice my opinion on how many Americans are expressing their opinions and how detrimental it is to relationships and this country.
Social Media is a blessing and also a curse. It allows us to share information in real time and keep a discussion or issue at the forefront without delay. It also provides a forum for people to hide behind a keyboard and spew off words that for many would never be uttered in a face to face meeting. It allows anyone to post anything true or not and dependent upon where your loyalty lies you choose to believe it without thinking for a second maybe I should fact check this piece of info before I send it. The phony websites that post "news" that caters to their political party or belief system have grown at such a rate that Facebook CEO, Mark Zuckerberg has no option but to start considering how to stop the phony baloney news articles running rampant on the net. USA Today Article on Facebook phony news
It is beyond my comprehension why any of my friends would willy nilly repost an article without taking two seconds to verify its validity. If you are only finding this article on one news outlet that you have never even heard of how can you possibly be sure it is legit? I am not blind to the fact that there are national networks catering to one political party or another, but at the end of the day it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out if something is true or not. Be responsible in what you post so that you don't look ignorant.
Opinions matter. Yours, mine and ours. STOP bashing the left. STOP bashing the right. If you are entitled to your opinion andI am entitled to mine. It blows my mind that people will block, unfriend, attack their friends and family over political positions. Without both sides there is no democracy, there is no choice. There is no America. We have a lot of work on both sides of the spectrum. Change is needed but the attacks on each other are just insane, unnecessary and quite honestly useless. Unfriending your friend of 20 years because they voted for Hilary is asinine. Blocking your brother because he voted for Trump? There are way better reasons to block your brother I am sure. Like that time he screwed your girlfriend or drank the last beer. But over who he voted for? That's just plain silly. We live in a country that promotes freedom of speech and the right to vote. Respect both in a respectful way people.
Lastly, this is the most "political" I am gonna get so here goes. Trump won. So Hilary supporters need to get over it and start taking actions to support the issues that matter to you that you feel will not be addressed in this administration. Protesting will not change who our President-Elect is. Moving to Canada does nothing to change that Trump takes office in January. If you want change, join a cause that means something to you. Be active in your community and in your government. Keyboard warriors and meme makers will not bring change.
Trump supporters. He won! Congratulations. Stop bashing the other side and gloating and taunting those you know from the other spectrum. We need to be a nation that is not divided and being on the winning side, you need to foster that unity through positive change not through continual negativity. What does it prove? The "I told you so" period has passed and always remember if you push the envelope of negativity, karma will always find a way to level the playing field.
I didn't want either candidate honestly. I am unsure that either can do for this country what we need, but I am eager to see what he will do because we all agree we need CHANGE.
So in closing. You actually CAN be civil to each other regardless of your political position. You can be respectful of all Americans even if you disagree with them. You can fact check your information before misinforming your friends and family with regurgitated garbage from a basement dwelling keyboard warrior who is just trying to get traffic to his crappy website.
You know who has the power to make America great again? YOU. So do it.
