I have noticed a disturbing trend (particularly on social media) that I hope we can bring to a stop. First, let me say right off the bat: I love politics. Whereas some people may avoid the topic, deeming it too boring or complex or divisive, I thoroughly enjoy discussing it, reading about it, listening to political speakers, and keeping up with current political news.
In line with my love of politics, I follow the Facebook pages of various news organizations, including CNN and Fox (which are on opposite sides of the political spectrum). As I've delved into the comments sections of these pages, I've noticed an unfortunate trend: people will find a way to stir political controversy where none existed in the first place.
A news story could be about something sweet and innocent, like a person rescuing ducklings from a storm drain, but someone will comment on the article/video with something like the following statement: "She must be a conservative……A liberal who kills unborn children cannot get this sympathy to rescue ducklings" (edited for grammar). This is an actual comment someone posted on a real news article.
Regardless of whether or not you agree with the politics of the above statement, such an attitude creates severe problems. The issue of abortion is an important one, and I have absolutely no problem with people expressing their political views and debating this issue – as long as these debates are in the right context. Taking a cute story about someone rescuing ducklings (something that is not remotely political) and using it to feed your own political agenda shows not only a lack of critical thinking/logic but also a desire to stir up strife over something that should be able to put a smile on people's faces.
Again, I want to emphasize that I am in no way opposed to political debates, and I myself have strong stances on various issues. Like I said, I love politics. There are important discussions that need to be had, and I believe there are right and wrong stances on many issues. I'm not about to compromise what I believe and know to be right. But I hate to see political controversy extend to something completely innocent and heart-warming, creating rifts between people where we should be able to find common ground in our love of human compassion and decency – regardless of our political alignment.
I don't want to bash one political party more than the other for creating this problem. Democrats and Republicans alike are at fault. The earlier statement about abortion almost certainly came from a Republican, and the following comment (on an article about a little girl saving her mom who was having a seizure) very likely came from a Democrat: "And the whole time Trump is tearing away little babies and toddlers from their parents! Awful."
Again, regardless of whether or not you agree with this statement and the viewpoint presented, it is out of place, considering the content of the news article (which was not at all political). Clearly, this isn't a partisan issue. People on both sides of the political spectrum commit this same fallacy of politicizing everything, thus undermining both sound logic and the basic human decency to enjoy a sweet story.
Again, we shouldn't shut down our political debates, and we should continue to seek truth and justice in a world with so many opposing viewpoints. I for one will not give up fighting for what I know is right, and I am more than willing to do so in the political arena.
But as important and widespread as politics are, there are places that should simply be off limits. We can continue to stand firm in what we believe while also appreciating those things that we can all love and enjoy, without compromising on the things that really matter.
