Thoughts On Politics as a College Student
Being a college student in 2020 has not been easy for anyone amid all the circumstances. There is so much chaos and political news going on and it has invaded our lives. People have never been more scared to talk about their political views and many of my close friends have lost some of their acquaintances over a disagreement on these types of things. Political opinions have never been so prominent in deciding who we will become friends with or how we look at an individual. I feel as if people my age are scared to say they are a part of a certain political party because of the potential backlash that could come with it.
I have never been so involved in politics in my entire life. Everyone has to have an opinion and if yours doesn’t match up with theirs, you could potentially be in the danger zone. I strongly believe that whether you say you’re liberal, democrat, conservative or republican, people automatically think they know where you stand on issues at hand. In my opinion, it’s a horrible stereotype and assumption that people make. It’s very unfair to anyone who decides to bravely speak up. Phrases like “it’s a safe place to share your opinion,” or “I will definitely hear you out,” have become invitations for judgment. The privilege of freedom of speech is real and very much alive, but in my experience comes with very harsh backlash from certain individuals who have their minds set in one direction.
Our country has developed so much in the last couple years and has given us opportunities to speak up about our opinions and views, but it often ends with an argument with someone instead of having an impactful discussion. The mentality that if two people don’t see eye-to-eye then you are not the same in any way is what is separating us instead of bringing us closer. In my personal experience, I have been put in situations where I am forced to speak about my political opinion, but when someone doesn’t agree ,I am immediately looked upon differently. “I can’t believe that she/he supports that.”
Big changes have occurred in our country and have brought about conversations that haven’t been had, The Black Lives Matter movement is a big topic at the moment as well as the passing of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. People are starting to speak up, being more bold about their opinions and feelings towards certain matters. These large events will effect the future of our generations.
