By Mike Polce, Staff Writer
In order to “reunite” America, we must first recognize the problems that are keeping us from becoming unified. First of all, politics have been more controversial than ever before. Secondly, signs that racism still exists were exhibited during the murder of George Floyd. Lastly, the COVID-19 pandemic hit in the midst of all of this chaos, sending shockwaves of fear throughout our nation.
So how do we fix all of this? Fear is often created by the mainstream media.
Think about it, what do you usually witness when watching the news? The top stories are always reporting about a vigorous homicide, or a bank robbery because that’s what sells. In my opinion, fear is what’s keeping us isolated from each other. The fear that if we try to reunite, then one group of people may be left out. If we eliminate this fear, all will be good.
For example, my mother is a hardcore Donald Trump supporter, and my father is a hardcore Joe Biden supporter. The thing is, they never talk about politics. One day I asked my father, “why don’t you and mom talk about these political issues?” He responded with, “because I don’t want your mother to get mad at me.”
Maybe if they talked about the issues, and didn’t dodge one another due to fear, they could agree upon certain matters.
This small example reflects upon our entire country. Don’t be controlled by fear. Don’t be controlled by the mainstream media.
Let’s look back at the civil war, considering that was the last time our nation was this divided. Although I doubt the issues our country is facing will result in an all-out conflict, I do believe things can worsen if we don’t stop them now.
There seems to be two consistent groups that make up the majority of our internal bleeding. These two groups include Republicans and Democrats.
Both sides can’t seem to find common ground, but this isn’t due to different beliefs on policy. It is due to the common narrative regarding both parties.
The liberal media portrays that most Republicans are racist. On the contrary, the Republican media portrays that most democrats are uneducated.
If you think about it, most of these stereotypes have nothing to do with actual policy. If we can eliminate these stereotypes, we can reunite the country.
How do we do this?
First, we must recognize what both parties stand for. Once you realize the true beliefs of both parties, you will find that both groups aren’t all that different in terms of morality. Both intend to do good for America. They intend to recognize and follow the Constitution.
There isn’t a correct opinion when it comes to politics. That is why we’re a free nation. But, the most reasonable answer can be found in the middle of both parties. There are pros and cons to everything, but we must learn from them. If we can become more “openminded” and realize that just because you support a certain party, doesn’t mean you have to agree with everything they do, things will change.
Look at the Black Lives Matter movement for instance. The media turned a moral issue into a political issue. There’s no reason why a Republican Trump supporter can’t support the Black Lives Matter movement.
The movement has nothing to do with politics, it is a social cause. There’s also no reason to believe that all Trump supporters hate Black Lives Matter because it’s just not true. The media wants you to think that way, and I’m talking about both sides of the spectrum.
I know that individualism is much stronger than mass cooperation. We can overcome this if we believe that. There is nothing that states you must agree with everything your party does.
Think for yourself, not for the person you support.
polcema20@bonaventure.edu
