As the presidential election creeps closer, the race may be tightening but bipartisan friendships around campus definitely are not. As I talk to people and listen to discussions, I've noticed an unbelievable amount of defensiveness surrounding an individual's candidate choice and bitterness toward those who don't agree.
In my opinion, things are getting unnecessarily personal when it comes to this election. Harmless exchanges of ideals have turned into massacres of political ideology.
I understand it's expected for each presidential race to bring hostile feelings toward members of the opposite political party, but it seems much worse among young voters. The problem is many of us are so wrapped up in supporting a particular candidate that we forget that other people have reasons to be just as passionate about another.
I've heard people say that supporting Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) makes you a racist redneck or a spoiled rich kid who doesn't care about the planet. And from others, if you want Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), then you're a hippie with your head in the clouds who favors negotiations with terrorists and a cheapened medical system.
These hateful comments are not what free elections are supposed to be about. People deserve respect for developing and expressing their own opinions. Instead, they're looked down upon for not sharing one.
The truth is, people have reasons to vote beyond what can be seen by the naked eye. A fellow student could've chosen to have an abortion during college because she wanted to finish her undergraduate degree without worrying about a baby. Maybe that student became an advocate for others to have the same right to choose. And maybe that person can't stand the idea of McCain having the opportunity to appoint three Supreme Court justices who may put that right at risk.
Likewise, a member of the Corps of Cadets could have lost a family member on Sept. 11, 2001. This loss led him to join the armed forces not only protect our country, but to help bring peace to the Middle East. He strongly believes in the troop surge and the progress being made in Iraq.
Because of this belief he wants to devote his entire career to such causes. He can't imagine electing Obama, who will not admit that the surge has produced undeniable results and will probably remove troops earlier than he should.
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Its personal because these policies affect our personal lives
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That justifies hatred towards another person? How friggin ignorant can we get, this stupid "us vs. them" is dividing the country. And the fact that the people are split evenly on the candidates should show that NEITHER are the right choice. If only we could hear from a 3rd party, we might realize that we have other choices, and things aren't so black and white (pun intended).
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That's exactly the point she's making. Since it's personal to you then it's just as personal to the person who has the opposite opinion and therefore we should not belittle them for it. And all elections have policies that affect our personal lives. Typically, that's what a democracy is.
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