Monday, August 1, 2016

Sorry, it is.

Sorry, it is about politics, but maybe not how you might think-so please, read on.

I have to ask: when was the last time you read a political post and thought something awful about the person that said/shared it if it was a differing opinion than your own?  I know, like 10 seconds ago. Me too, and I tired of it. These ridiculous negative thoughts that are barraging my brain when I read these posts are about and from real people, my supposed "friends" on Facebook.  Of course, I could block or unfriend, but who wants a feed that is all the same views and opinions as your own?  Admit it or not, we all like to peek at what the "other side" is talking about.  And that is perfectly normal. What has gotten out of hand is the name calling,and hateful spewing of awfulness. I know-newsflash. But we are still engaging. And, unfortunately, I am not talking about the candidates.  We need to realize we WILL NOT change someone's opinion or mind on FB about Hillary or Donald.  That ship has sailed. And seriously do we really think that those that may be undecided are going to be swayed by the lunatic (there I go) who spews rage and hatred and calls those that don't agree with them uninformed, stupid, or moronic? And that is the nice name calling. Again, I am not talking about the candidates here and it happening on both sides. We are acting like toddlers that say, "mom, mom, mom, mom and when she won't respond, because she might be going to the bathroom (the nerve), talking on the phone (the audacity), working (NO!) so the little angels leave a gallon of ice cream under the bed, an open liter of Coke sideways on the steps, a full box of cereal strewn about the living room (Just my house? Oh well, you get the point.)

And to what end? How can we expect more from our candidates and in turn ourselves when we are just as guilty of acting like spoiled children?  The only obvious difference-the people in my above example ARE spoiled children. My own.......

Anyway,

Can we not take a moment and step back and think about from where people's posts and points of view are coming?

Their perspective.

Just as I cannot form an opinion from the perspective of any American mother whose lost a child in senseless gunfire, a parent grieving a mentally ill child who took others' lives, a single mom working so hard for her children and never getting ahead, an immigrant with a family trying build a life in America, any parent who has lost a child to war, a business owner struggling to keep their head above water, those with children that are suffering from devastating illnesses, a military veteran struggling with PTSD-I cannot relate and form a political view from their perspective just as they cannot form one from a mother of two special needs kids (unless of course, they have two special needs kids, but you get my point). What I can do is try and understand and empathize why they may have to come support the candidate they have instead of figuring they are just an idiot who needs to be "informed".

I understand we are passionate about our wonderful country and her future. We all want a safe America where our kids can get the best possible education. We all want our police officers to be protected and feel safe and not questioned when protecting us.  We all want our military to feel appreciated and honored and have all the support and opportunities available after they have served. We all want color, religion and gender to go unseen and opportunities to be for all. We all feel that opiate and heroin addiction are stealing lives at an alarming rate and more must be done. We all want healthcare for the poor and sick. We ALL want radical terrorists from home and abroad destroyed.
And we should never give up on these dreams and goals, no matter what.
Yes, we have different ways of getting there, but how does name calling and hate help the cause that we all want?  How can we expect something from our candidates (and our children for that matter) that we are unwilling to display ourselves?  Clearly, we need to step up and be the example.

Next time I read a post that is so sick it makes me sick, I am going to take a huge breath and think thoughts of gratitude and love. I am going to put goodness into the FB universe instead of rage.  I won't respond because no attention should be called to it. (ignore it, see toddler example).  I will think respectfully of their opinion even if I respectfully disagree.  I will not engage in hateful banter and I will mind my mind. I will choose to rise above it because that is who I am or at the very least who I am striving to be. I am going to gain some perspective.
It's not a definitive solution, but it's a start.

Just think, I was going to name this blog, "don't be a dick." Oh, the irony.

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