I'm sure Bill Maher would attest that being politically correct has been out of fashion for quite some time now. Unfortunately, our insatiable need to protect everyone's feelings have rewarded us with an inability to speak freely and subsequently, an inability to think freely. We're trapped in a constant struggle to be morally superior to everyone around us and the voices of too many of our elected officials reflect that all too well.
The "crazy antics" and use of adult language by politicians both young and old have been getting a pretty insane amount of attention lately. From Twitter posts to rally speeches, it seems there is no venue in which it is acceptable for any politician to go against 250 years of "civilized behavior." What I think what many news outlets covering these juicy stories are missing is that a pretty good number of us don't actually give a fuck.
Say what you will about Donnie Trump and his brazen disregard for civil niceties, but I think we should use the fact that he ignored all of the status quo and said whatever the hell he wanted to in order to get elected to our benefit. Why should Democrats have to be holier than Trump when he's proven that people appreciate a little tough guy in their politics?
We don't have to stoop to Trump lows and disrespect entire races, genders, and nations. As a matter of fact, definitely, don't do that, it's so 2016 Election. What we could stand to do though is to stop freaking out everytime a politician drops an f-bomb or calls the President an idiot.
Newly elected Senators and Representatives like Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Rashida Tlaib have been some of the small numbers of politicians who are unafraid to challenge what we have for decades seen as acceptable language and behavior from political figures. Is it irony that they both happen to be women under the age of 45? I don't think so.
What these political figures understand is that most Americans don't live by some set of hard and fast rules of an idealistic world where everyone is super nice and perfect and loveable all of the time. They are willing to show that they too are people who once made embarrassing videos and posted them on YouTube or called the President a "motherfucker". I mean, he is a motherfucker. If anything I should be freaked out they were thinking what I was thinking, pretty spooky man.
I think what this all really boils down is a pretty common idea that the world has embraced for centuries:
Out with the old, in with the new.
Going into this next election season, we need to remind ourselves that just because some Democrats are older and have been gaining experience in politics and protecting our interests for many years, it doesn't mean they will be bold enough to stand up against Trump.
Less super poised, super polite politicians are going to be the key to relating to and empowering young voters. So let's stop caring if they're impolite.
