Have you ever tried to talk to someone about politics or religion? Did the conversation go as you had planned, or did it just gradually begin to hit high notes in the vocal chords of yourself and your audience? After much thought and experience (I’ve got some of that) I’ve come to the conclusion that when either of these two subjects come up, then any intended outcome is never going to change, regardless of your political affiliation, or religious upbringing or status in life today. Even with this wonderful disclaimer, I’m going to talk politics (maybe religion another time…).
Political conversations cannot be held in a respectful and meaningful manner anymore. I’ve drawn that conclusion while having discussion with family members, both young and old, and also as I’ve watched, listened and read about the current political climate here in the United States. Even when one considers any point of contention, or thought provoking issue that you wish to speak of, ones perceptions are continually bombarded by the media outlets as they via for your attention. On this point, I am also a firm believer that there is no such thing as a non-biased opinion. I have never believed that there ever was, but in my years, I’ve realized that there is literally no such thing… there are only levels of biased that we can either see, or in some cases, feel. Considering politics, have you ever wondered on the bias of the media today considering their ‘take’ on the political candidates we see ourselves today trying to determine who will be the next president of the United States. Take for instance the Democratic party… currently, there are two candidates yet running. This past summer, Hillary Clinton was the media darling, basking in the medias ability to liken the Clinton’s with the Kennedy legacy and how great it would be for her to bring the Clinton’s back to power, oh, let’s not forget that she would be the first woman president either! This sentiment was also consistent with our European brothers as they also heraled the supposed return of the Clintons… it seemed that everyone liked the Clintons. Today… wow, that’s a different story. We have a new media darling called Obama. With spectators swooning and fainting in rallies, and prophetic implementations toward the demise of Hillary, we now have a new candidate… Oh wait, I forgot to say Obama was ALSO democrat. On the republican side there is McCain. In many circles here, the Republican party is not overly thrilled with this ‘shoe-in’ as a candidate due to previous stances on issues that relied on head-to-head confrontations with a conservative base. I could go on and on, but if I wish to make a point clear, specifically toward the ability to neither change anyone’s mind, nor enhance one political party over another is that of a double-standard which I see in all parties, one which is propagated via the media bias I spoke of earlier. That of labels. ..
Have you ever heard of the/a Left-Wing conspiracy? I truly believe that if you thought about it, you had not… on the other hand, we’ve certainly heard of the Right-Wing conspiracy. When this particular term is applied to a discouraging statement, or an individual, or group’s conscientious objection to something said, or intended by the ‘other’ political party, then they are labeled accordingly. To prove the point, I find it interesting now when looking at the Democratic party specifically, that there is now individuals who claim those who do not vote for Hillary are sexist, while others state that those who do not vote for Obama are discriminating, or dealing with racial overtones. The media follows suit while proclaiming Rush Limbaugh a hate-monger because he does not say nice things about any political candidate, while saying nothing while others liken the current president to Hitler.
I don’t pretend to have a solution other than stating that the last time I read and understood my right as an American citizen, that I had the freedom to either like or not like anyone, regardless of their political preferences and parties. Having the ability to voice my opinions is a wonderful thing, one which I have fought for (I’m a proud veteran), and one I truly hope that those who label objectors to their party of preference hope they never see, or finally realize that they too do not have the freedom to say what they wish.
