November is quickly approaching, and with that comes politics. Although it's not a Presidential election this year, many are researching the candidates who will eventually get their vote. As usual, Facebook is blowing up with countless memes and articles filled with hatred, accusations, and (usually) false statistics. At some point, one must sit back and ask, "How did politics get this way? Did the Republican and Democratic parties always hate each other?" To be honest, I couldn't really tell you. From as far back as I can remember, hating the group across the aisle has always been normal.
In today's political state, even throwing out the word "Democrat," "Republican," "Liberal," or "Conservative" immediately results in a label, and not often a good one. As Americans, we have reached a point where politics have no place in conversation simply because it leads to argument. Many people often refuse to associate with other people simply because of their political beliefs. Whether you refuse to go to Hobby Lobby because of their views and policies, or you don't like talking to someone because they are "too much of an environmentalist," the polarity of politics affects you in your everyday life.
If you ask me, the biggest issue with the country today is definitely the over-exaggeration of the SEC's football prowess (kidding, of course), but many seem to believe that the issues always stem from the opposing view. If half of the nation thinks that the Republicans are the cause of the problems, and the other half thinks it's the Democrats, isn't everyone the cause of the problem?
One of the more interesting notes about America's political divergence is its comparison to the political states of other countries. Italy, for example, has nine different political parties. If America can't agree on anything with two different parties, how would we ever agree if there were nine? Obviously some views of those nine may overlap, but their policy system still works.
The standstill of policy comes as a result of people's refusal to see ideas objectively, since they have been groomed to love their party and hate the other. The political state of America could be much more calm and organized with some cooperation. All we need is for people to give it the ol' college try. After all, we are all Americans, and we should be able to put aside our beliefs to enjoy each other's company. Whether it's Donald Trump or Bernie Sanders, or even just that guy from high school who won't stop posting selfies in the bathroom, take a moment to sit back and realize that they are more like you than you realize, whether or not you agree with their political beliefs.
