1. Unfriend
Sometimes unfriending someone on social media can be seen as a complete removal of that relationship in real life, and while it can be, it doesn't always need to be that dramatic. If you are feeling unsafe or unloved by someone's social media presence, it is okay to avoid that feeling online while still recognizing them as a friend or aquaintance in real life.
2. Unfollow
If you are afraid to unfriend someone for fear of backlash, you can remove their posts from your timeline instead. Of course, this will not block their comments to other posts. You are not required to care about every post, and can reverse this at any time.
3. Ask questions
Each demographic experienced this election from different perspectives, each of which can be hard to understand without experiencing them. The best thing we can do is ask curious and un-accusatory open ended questions and try to understand. Blowing other's experiences off is not helpful, nor will it help create unity.
4. Answer questions
In addition to asking questions, you should expect that others will ask some of you. Answering these questions with honesty and genuineness will be helpful in creating a healthy conversation. Text only conversations can be confusing as it is, but when it comes to an easily misunderstood topic or perspective, it is even more important to be clear and understanding.
5. Use credible sources
Just a heads up: Using sources that lack credibility (i.e. A pro-[candidate] website that spouts how great their candidate is.) is a surefire way to lose your side of the argument. There is no faster way for others to determine your credibility but by the sources you cite.
6. Do your research
With that being said, do your research! Before you post something: look it up. Before you comment "Wrong!": double check it. Before you tell someone their experiences are false: try seeing it from their perspective and ask them for other resources to increase your understanding.
7. Apologize
Sometimes, you are wrong. And that is okay... as long as you apologize. If you didn't understand before, did that research, and changed your perspective, that is fantastic! Learning is great and is an important aspect of our political process. Just make sure, if you hurt anyone in that process that you make an effort to apologize to those people in your life.
8. Stand-up for each other
Please, please, please, don't be a bystander! If you see someone being harassed, bullied, or downright ganged up on, stand up for them! This goes for social media and real life. Even if you are on different sides of the aisle, standing up against hatred is something we can all do.
9. Avoid name-calling
As much as our president-elect made this seem okay, it is not. Recall your early elementary days and treat others how you would like to be treated. This means name-calling is out of the question. It only increases the anger in the situation and shows that you are unwilling to have a civil conversation.
10. Understand the difference between "ignorant" and "stupid"
This one is a pet peeve of mine and will 100% result in me derailing the conversation into a grammar lesson. Ignorance is the "lack of knowledge or information," while stupidity is "behavior that shows a lack of good sense or judgment," (dictionary.com). Being ignorant is actually an opportunity, and one that leaves the door open to education. An ignorant person can still grow and learn, versus a person who is stupid has the necessary information to make an informed decision, but rather decides to ignore or deny that information to support their own thoughts. This distinction is important, particularly with the goal of understanding others in mind.
